Sins, Sirens and Strife
by Michael Weyer
Summary: IC Phase 1. When a magical invader reveals shocking ties to Thor's past, the Asgardians team with Wonder Woman to face a deadly magical duo. Avengers/Justice League 2017 crossover.
1. Chapter 1

**Sins, Sirens and Strife**

**By Michael Weyer**

**This was in my mind for a while but **_**Aquaman**_** pushing it a bit more so hope you enjoy**.

* * *

**Earth-51**

**Gotham City**

"I think we need a new place." The Flash tapped his fingers on the round holographic table of Wayne Manor. "I mean it. Look, nothing against your house, Bats, but we could use something cooler."

As usual, Batman ignored him as the Justice League gathered around the main meeting room. John Stewart appeared more confident as he took a place with the rest of the group. Superman was serious as ever, as was Wonder Woman. Cyborg was checking over the readouts of the table as he spoke up. "Flash is actually right on this. I've been thinking of some upgrades myself."

"It's not like you can't afford it, Bats," Flash threw in. "Hell, you could build us a space station if you wanted to."

"That's not exactly subtle," Wonder Woman pointed out.

"Diana, have you seen your outfit?"

Superman smiled at the glare Batman threw at Flash. "If we can get down to business?" The group finally settled in. "Okay," Superman began. "Once more, we're still vetting possible new members. I know we all agreed expanding was a good idea but we don't want to just bring in anyone. Some heroes may be more comfortable on their own while others may not be up for the challenges we face."

"We should be careful," Diana stated. "We are already being hit with some complaints about how we're…elitist."

"Which is why a recruitment drive is a good thing," Superman pointed out. "To prove to the world we can accept others and utilize them in a team. I've been working with Steel in Metropolis. It's not just armor, he's a very brilliant engineer." He turned to Cyborg. "I think you two could work out great."

As Cyborg mused on that, Flash interjected. "I have reached out to our version of Green Arrow. He's said no as he wants to keep a street guy but I'm hoping I can wear him down."

"There's that Shazam guy in Fawcett," Green Lantern piped in. "Seems a bit too offbeat but his power level can be helpful. Plus, those Hawk folks in St. Roch. Thanagarians can be rough but their military experience can be tops."

"And let's not forget there might be more versions of these guys from that other Earth around," Flash pointed out. "Our own Martian would be cool."

"Again, we can work on that soon," Batman stated as he stood up. "Right now, we may have an issue with that function being thrown at the Metropolitan in New York." He tapped some keys on the table.

"You'd think they'd have it in Metropolis," the Flash muttered.

"It's being pushed as a huge deal as it's the first showcase for Atlantean artwork and history on the surface world."

"I still can't believe Arthur is some regal diplomat now," Flash stated. "The guy was just chugging beers one week, he's the flipping King of Atlantis the next!"

"At least he still helps out," Superman stated. "But relations with Atlantis are still rough after what that Orm did. Arthur needs to help mend some of those fences."

Green Lantern nodded. "It doesn't help there's so much suspicion out there. The idea there's some high-tech civilization under the ocean isn't sitting well with some folks in the higher levels of power."

"Which makes this function a target for various forces," Diana mused. "From anti-Atlantis bigots to even some actual governments who may want to take a shot at Arthur.

"It's not just the usual threats." Batman hit a button an image appeared inside the holographic screen. It showed a group of men by a dock area, several with weapons. Standing with them was a gorgeous blonde woman in a green dress. Next to her was a handsome man in what appeared to be a stylized purple armor of some sort with a metallic helmet. Getting more attention was a figure standing nearly seven feet tall. A mask covered his entire head and his clothes were stretched over a body highlighted by a muscular frame that reminded some of the Leaguers of the Hulk. Hoses were attached from the mask to a large canister on his back.

"Whoa," the Flash said. "Who's the luchadore on steroids?"

"Bane," Batman answered. "And your comment is more on target than you know." He pointed to the tank. "That is Venom, an experimental enhancement that the military vetoed for causing brain damage. Bane manages to make it work. It enhances his strength ten-fold. But don't think he's just dumb muscle. He's a brilliant tactician as well. He works as a mercenary but he could be going into business for himself this time."

"You know him," Superman stated as fact.

"We've crossed paths." It was clear Batman wasn't going to share more than that.

"And the woman?" Diana pressed.

"That I'm not sure of," Batman admitted. "I've run her face through a hundred databases but no hits. Either she's new on the scene or she's very, very good at covering her tracks. Likewise, hard to tell if she's working for Bane or vice versa. What I do know is that if Bane is in New York, the summit must be his target."

"We'll have to keep a close eye then," Superman stated. "But going openly can just scare the target off. We need to know what they're up to."

"That's one good thing about a big society function," Batman noted. "It's easier to blend in."

Cyborg just gave him a look as he raised his one human eyebrow. "Uh huh."

"You know what I mean."

The Flash snorted. "Easy for you to say, Bats. The high society life is totally your scene. Me, I wouldn't even know where to find a tux to rent." He paused. "On that, if I can bring up once more the concept of getting a salary..."

"All opposed?" Batman snapped. At the show of hands, the Flash just let out a tired sigh.

* * *

"I hate this," Arthur Curry muttered. "I feel ridiculous."

"Oh, hush," Atlanna stated. The gorgeous blonde-haired woman was clad in a fantastic white dress that shone nicely with the gems of the oceans. A crown was nestled at her head to show her amazing beauty off. "You look wonderful. Tell him, Mera."

Mera smiled as the trio walked into the main ballroom of the New York Metropolitan Museum. She was clad in a lush green dress that fit her like a set of scales and excellently mixed with her bright red hair. In contrast to the two women, Arthur was clad in a simple suit and clearly chafing under it. At least he'd managed to argue against wearing a tie from Mera. Vulko had been upset he wouldn't wear his traditional armor but Arthur had to calmly explain that wouldn't fit for a society event.

He brushed at his face, wincing at the much thinner beard. "I still can't believe you tried to shave me."

"Just making up for years of motherly watching I missed out on," Atlanna stated with a smile. The trio put up with the looks from the partygoers with a few photographers moving to get shots of them. Arthur put up with it while glancing at the nearby bar with longing. Mera pulled at his arm. "Mingle first, then you can drink and one glass tops."

"I can hold my liquor."

"You can but worried about you getting some diplomat into a drinking contest and causing an international incident."

Arthur just grunted as he saw a mild-mannered man in a suit with glasses coming up to him. "King Arthur," he stated. "Clark Kent, _Daily Planet_. A pleasure."

Arthur hid a smile as he shook Clark's hand. "Sure it is. Sorry but not doing interviews today."

"Perhaps your mother, then?" Clark turned to Atlanna with a smile. "The readers would like to know more of Atlantis' possible reaching out to the surface after so long."

"We prefer to make this a quiet evening," Atlanna stated. "We are more interested in showing the artwork of Atlantis, to showcase our culture than our political future."

Clark nodded. "Very well then." He let the group pass by just as he heard a murmur from the crowd. Turning, he watched as Bruce Wayne walked into the room in one of his usual tuxedos, that dapper smile on his face. Next to him was Diana, clad in a gorgeous red dress, her hair let down loose and easily the focus of any photographer.

Clark moved away from the group to head over, mingling with the other reporters. "Mr. Wayne," he spoke up. "Are you and the Princess an…item?"

"Merely his plus one for tonight," Diana spoke up for all present. "He is a good man but not quite my type."

Bruce just smiled. "Ah, I can do worse than spend the night with a goddess." He nodded as he made his way through the crowd. Diana also broke off to talk to a few dignitaries about an upcoming event she was hoping to sponsor. It gave Clark a chance to observe the amazing Atlantean artwork on display. Scores of statues of past Atlantis rulers were on display along with other arts that were hard to fathom. The designs boasted numerous gems and treasures Clark could guess were worth more than half this building's possessions combined.

He felt Arthur come up to him, trying to keep his voice low. "I used to mock you for the whole secret identity thing," he said in a low whisper. "Now, I get it. I'd love to take off a mask and just hang out at a bar."

"You wanted the throne."

"No, I never wanted it," Arthur corrected. "I had to take it. And to be honest, I let my mom and Vulko handle the real day to day stuff. I've got more on my plate."

"I can relate."

"I don't know if you can." At Clark's frown, Arthur shrugged. "Sorry, Clark but it's true. You can protect folks on a few land masses but I've got the other three quarters of the planet to handle. There is stuff down there you don't know about. Hell, if the governments of the world knew what kind of dangers there were down there, they'd be dropping bombs on us."

"I have a bit more faith in people."

"That's the difference between you and me and Bruce. We see how things are."

"And Diana and I see how things can be."

Arthur smirked. "That attitude is going to be the death…oh, sorry."

Clark smiled back as he glanced about. To anyone else, it was the gaze of a simple guest but in reality, he was scanning the area with his x-ray vision to see if there were any hidden threats about. He saw Diana speaking to someone from the United Kingdom and was about to head over when a hush fell over the room. Confused, Clark glanced to the entranceway and felt his jaw drop at the figure entering.

Diana was used to people staring whenever she entered a room. It had taken her a while to grasp the effect she had on men (and women to be honest) and she was used to it. It could be annoying but she did put up with how, wherever she went, she always knew how to get attention without even trying. For the first time, she finally realized how that felt.

The woman was not just beautiful. She challenged any conceptions of beauty whatsoever. Her blonde hair was impeccable around a face that would have put an entire modeling firm to shame. The green dress was so tight on her that it was like a second skin and easily flowed over her curvaceous form. She smiled as she looked around the ballroom, soaking in how every person in the room was openly gawking at her. That included the women as even Diana had to admit an attraction...even as she felt a sense of danger from this woman as well.

The high heels clicked on the floor as she made her way to one of the displays. It looked to have been part of a wider arch, the shiny gems highlighted by a bright green emerald disc. She leaned in to study it and nodded. "Excellent," she stated in a lush voice laced with some sort of accent. She reached out to grab the green gem at the center and began to pull on it.

"Excuse me," one of the curators said, finally rousing himself to head over and stop the woman. With a flick of her finger, the man ignited in flame, screaming out loud. Mera quickly waved her hands as the water from various glasses flew out. She sent it sailing onto the man to douse the flames quickly.

Diana was moving fast to grab the blonde-woman's hand. She looked Diana over and smiled. "Ah, the Amazon. It's been a long time since I dealt with your annoying ilk."

Up close, Diana could now feel the sheer magical energy of the woman, a wave of darkness mixed with the power within her. Her hand was already pulling the lasso out of her dress when the woman snapped the fingers of her other hand. A smashing sound came from overhead as the glass ceiling to the ballroom crashed downward. Guests screamed and ducked the falling debris as a slew of men in uniforms rappelled down from ropes. Leading the way was Bane, the mercenary on the move to smash a security officer aside, a single blow sending the man flying over a table.

Next to him was the man in the armored suit from the footage Batman had shown the group earlier. He was instantly pulling a sword from his scabbard as he moved to attack. Diana was forced to let the woman's hand go as she lifted her arm up. Metal clashed with metal as the man's sword hit one of Diana's bracelets. She moved to kick back at him as he slashed once more with the blade. Diana instantly realized this man was a warrior while also getting a sense of power that rivaled one she found familiar.

Bruce felt the urge to go in but restrained himself. He instead concentrated on making sure some of the other guests were able to get away from the chaos as several of the other men were firing guns about. He did toss out a glass that, by "sheer chance" managed to knock a gun away just as it was about to fire at an innocent waitress.

In a blur, Superman was there, intercepting the bullets. Aquaman was quick to wade in, soon brawling with several of the gunmen. Mera was backing him up, creating a ram of water to smash one man back. That left Superman to take on Bane as the beefy figure threw out a punch. Superman grunted with surprise at how the blow actually made some impact. He was nonetheless able to handle the other shots of Bane that he threw out in quick succession.

Diana was avoiding the strikes of the sword-wielding man, blocking a few shots herself. She saw Atlanna race by her, heading toward the blonde woman. She was snarling as she threw a fist the woman dodged. "You have no idea what you're taking."

"I do," the woman responded. "Why on Earth do you think I'm here?" She waved a hand and a force sent Atlanna flying back. Arthur had just slammed a gunman through a table when he saw his mother fall. He growled and charged at the woman with fire in his eyes. Without hesitation, the sword-wielding man shoved Diana back, then threw his blade out at Aquaman. He barely dodged it, giving the man a chance to tackle him back down and punch him hard. "No one touches Mistress Amora!" he proclaimed.

"Thank you, dear," the woman called Amora smiled. She looked up to see Bane smashing both fists against Superman's chin and then into his chest. A cracking sound indicated the breaking of bones in his hands but he seemed to feel no pain as he kept punching. Superman finally grabbed his fist and lashed out with his own. He didn't hold back as he normally might as he remembered Batman's report on how strong Bane was. Instead, he lashed out a blow that sent Bane sailing across the room. He landed hard onto the wall and then collapsed in a heap. In a blur, Superman was pulling on the tubes at his back, allowing the green liquid to flow out. Bane gasped and shook in agony as he slumped on the ground.

Superman moved to aid Diana with Amora. The armored man moved before him, swinging out his sword. Superman prepared for it to shatter on his chest and was thus quite surprised when he felt a slashing pain across him. He looked down to see a tear in his suit and blood actually coming out of a cut across his chest. The armored figure charged in and Superman managed to dodge the glancing blow.

Amora was holding up the gem and smiling as she gazed into it. "I believe we have what we came for, my pet." She whispered an incantation and Diana's ears perked up at the language she found oddly familiar. The sword-wielding man moved to her side as a cloud of green smoke flowed over them. It faded to show they had vanished.

Diana moved to Superman. "Are you all right?"

He was still rubbing a this chest. "It wasn't deep. Just…can't believe it happened."

Diana looked to the site from where the woman had vanished as she realized this was a far more dangerous situation than it seemed.

* * *

The Flash winced as he watched the holographic footage of the fight in the Justice League meeting room. "Ouch. Sorry I missed this but a few of my Rogues decided to hold a contest on who could rob the most banks in one day."

Superman was smiling. "It's all right. The situation turned out to be more complex than it seems."

Batman wasn't smiling. "The gunmen are all in comas. So is Bane. The doctors can't explain any cause, it's not drugs, it's as if their minds were just…shut down."

"This woman doesn't want them talking," Green Lantern noted.

"Looks like Bane was just the muscle after all," Superman claimed.

"Not in the way you think."

"How so?"

"Because Bane wasn't himself," Batman stated. "I've fought him before, he's no brute. There's no way he would be stupid enough to just rush in and attack you. He'd have used some strategy, maybe getting Kryptonite or such. For him to just straight up punch you…" He shook his head. "No. No, he was somehow influenced."

"He may be right," Diana mused. "The comas, the way that one man referred to her as 'Mistress.' I can recognize an enchantment when I see it." She looked to Superman. "That also explains why his sword was able to affect you."

"Magic," Batman grunted. "I hate magic."

"Then you're gonna loathe this." They all turned to see Arthur enter with a sour expression. He was clad in his golden shirt and green pants with his trident in hand. "My mother finally got around to talking to some folks in Atlantis. It turns out that gem this woman stole wasn't some fancy showcase. It belonged to Arion, some ancient sorcerer."

The Flash blinked. "And….they used it for art?"

"It was originally part of his burial tomb," Aquaman explained. "This was like ten thousand years ago. The tomb was ravaged by a quake and the pieces placed around Atlantis. Guess someone made a mix-up and put it in the displays when it should have been kept under lock and key."

"How much power are we talking about?" Green Lantern asked.

Arthur let out a tired sigh. "Arion was said to be one of the strongest magic-users in Atlantean history. Some of his spells still serve as the basis for our technology. Anything he touched is going to have some power someone else can use."

The Flash rubbed his head. "Some wicked witch comes to town with a guy who can stab Supes and steals a gem from an Atlantean wizard. Can I just go back to fighting bank robbers?"

Diana tapped a finger to her chin. "That language she was using…I think I recognized it. Asgardian."

The others looked at her in surprise. "You're sure?" Superman pressed.

"I believe so." She glanced at Superman. "Which means there's one obvious way to get some answers."

* * *

**Earth-19999**

**New York City**

Jane Foster leapt back to avoid the swinging sword flying just over her face. She could feel the brush of wind from it as she dodged and then rose up to throw out Mjolnir. The hammer flew out as her attacker just dodged it, somersaulting on the ground. Rising up, the figure threw out a knife which Jane just managed to dodge. She held out her hand as the hammer flew back toward her. As it did, the figure grabbed the handle of the weapon and let it drag her along. Before Jane could react, a pair of boots slammed into her chest to knock her off balance.

She landed in a heap, wincing a bit and grateful she was just in sweatbands and a sports bra rather than her armor. She still caught her hammer as the figure settled back. Sif brushed back her ponytail as she offered a quiet smile. "It took Thor a bit to figure out how to avoid that trick himself."

Thor was leaning on the wall of the training room of Avengers Tower and had to nod in agreement. "As hard as it is to admit, Jane, relying on the hammer was always a weakness of mine. I didn't realize how much until I lost it."

"Which is why learning more of fighting is critical," Sif stated. She offered a hand to help Jane up to her feet. Sif still had an edge in height over Jane which could be disconcerting despite how Jane clearly had more power. She wasn't wearing her usual armor yet she made even a simple black fighting tog look impressive. "It can save your life."

"I'm still a scientist at heart," Jane admitted. "Fighting was never my forte. Even with the hammer, I'm still just wading in and brawling and hoping for the best."

"Again, much like Thor."

Thor frowned. "Sif, I didn't call you from Wakanda just to mock me."

"No, that's the bonus." She winked. "Remember, you're not a prince or king anymore. I no longer have to treat you with such respect."

"When did you ever?" Thor chuckled. He moved off from the wall to clasp a hand to Jane's shoulder. "I know Sif can be a harsh teacher but she's a good one too. Just trust in her as I do." He nodded before heading off to check on the main meeting room of the Tower.

Jane looked to Sif and licked her lips. "Are you…okay?" As Sif frowned at her, Jane went on. "I mean…about me and Thor. I know you two are…close. Have been for centuries which is something I can never be able to match. I just…I wanted to be sure…"

Sif smiled softly. "He chose well with you. And you with him." The smile faded slightly. "I admit for a time, I had harbored feelings for him. I knew they could never be because of his duty to the throne." She looked to Jane. "The way he looks at you…I have never seen him gaze that way at anyone before. I know I could never bring that feeling in him." She pointed to Mjolnir. "That you were worthy to hold that proves what kind of woman you are, Jane Foster. One I would be proud to call a sister in arms."

Jane smiled back just as a loud buzzing came over the room. Frowning, Jane walked out of the training room with Sif following. They were soon in the main meeting room of the Tower where Tony, Steve, Bruce, Thor, Darcy and Vision had already gathered. "What is it?" Jane asked.

Tony was checking a nearby scanner. "One of the breach devices just activated. Triangulating signal…Earth-51."

"The League?" Steve confirmed as Tony nodded. Right on cue, a flow of energy cut through a corner of the room before forming a portal. From it stepped Diana in her usual uniform, nodding to the others as the portal closed behind her.

Darcy blinked at the figure before her. "Shoot, now I'm gay."

"Wonder Gal!" Tony said with a broad smile. "Welcome back."

"Wonder Woman," she automatically corrected. "Good to see you all again." She shook hands with each in turn and Steve once more noted a hesitation when she said his name. He sensed there was some sort of story there but didn't want to press it.

Diana made her way to Darcy who just swallowed as she shook hands. "Darcy. Lewis. Of the Lewistown Lewises and yes, sad to say, that is a real place."

"I'm assuming this isn't a simple visit," Cap stated.

Diana nodded as she removed a small device from her belt. She slipped it into the main database console of the holographic table. "Victor said this should align with your systems," she explained as she tapped some keys. The table flashed to showcase a hologram of the security footage the League had obtained. It focused on the beautiful blonde woman, the image rotating about.

Tony had to raise an eyebrow. "Hmmm….If I wasn't engaged…"

"That would actually stop you?" Bruce teased. Tony just shrugged.

Thor's eyes narrowed as a low growl came to the back of his throat. Sif stepped forward, her eyes widening at first, then also narrowing in anger. "Of course. She would find a way to survive."

Diana nodded. "You do know her then."

"Amora the Enchantress."

"Sounds like a bad Vegas act," Darcy stated.

Thor was not smiling. "She's a witch of the highest order. A powerful sorceress whose attitude reminds me of some of those reality television show women Darcy insists on watching."

"Hey, don't be knocking the Real Housewives!" Darcy stated. "I still tell T'Challa a Wakanda version would be great!"

Thor went on. "She's a vain selfish seductress who sees everyone else as merely toys to manipulate. A simple kiss can literally enslave any man or woman to her side. They would do anything for her no matter what. Amora loved to play games for power or just set people into conflict for her own amusement. She could be a tyrant if not for how petty she truly is. Even Loki couldn't stand her."

"Boy, if that doesn't say a lot…" Tony muttered.

Sif crossed her arms. "Roughly a thousand years ago, Amora attempted to poison Frigga. Her plan was to then take advantage of Odin's grief to seduce him and become the new Queen of Asgard."

A grim smile came to Thor's face. "Like so many, Amora underestimated my mother. She was a master herbalist and knew from a scent her drink had been tampered with. Frigga was no mere lady but a fine warrior in her own right who literally beat Amora down when she discovered the poison in her cup. My father then exiled Amora from Asgard forever upon pain of death."

Sif sniffed. "She got off far too lucky. If your father had ordered her head taken, few in Asgard would have wept."

"It looks like she made her way to your universe," Steve said to Diana. "Any idea what she's after?"

Diana shook her head. "Not yet. Her attack on the conference appeared to really be a distraction to gain control of a mystical gem. Batman is calling on some contacts to learn more." She tapped the controls again to show more images of the fight. The monstrous forces were impressive even for the Avengers. However, what got their attention was the pair of stunned looks on the faces of Sif and Thor when the image of the dark-harried swordsman came into view. Seeing the looks, Diana froze the image to focus on him.

"It…can't be…" Sif whispered.

Thor's face was a mixture of shock, disbelief and a small bit of hope. "_Balder_."

"Balder?" Jane frowned. "As in…Balder the Brave?" When one had Mjolnir, one immediately made it a priority to learn all one could of Norse mythology.

"He's dead." Sif turned on Thor, her voice still in disbelief. "We were there, we saw it!"

"Who is he?" Steve pressed.

"Balder," Thor replied, rubbing his beard. "My best friend. One of the finest warriors in Asgard. We were friends in childhood, almost like brothers. He was with Sif, the Warriors Three and myself for centuries…" His face darkened. "Until four hundred years ago when we were defending from an attack by some demonic followers of Surtur. Balder fought as valiantly as he was always did before he was stabbed by one of the creatures. He plunged with it into a massive chasm. We all assumed he had to have perished."

"Evidentially, they don't make fatal falls like they used to," Tony inserted.

"Amora must have him under her spell," Sif declared. "That's the only way he would be serving that witch."

Thor's jaw set as he turned to Diana. "What did they take?"

"An ancient artifact from Atlantis."

Tony gawked. "You have an Atlantis in your world? And it's not a casino/resort?"

Sif frowned at him. "Why is that a surprise? You have an Atlantis on this world." Thor nodded with her. They both seemed taken aback at the shocked looks the others gave them.

Jane let out a familiar sigh. "Thor. Sif. We've talked about this. You need to stop assuming everyone knows about these amazing fantasy and historical things."'

"Wait, are they pulling a Wakanda and hiding in plain sight or just too secret to know?" Tony pressed.

"Shelving that for now," Cap stated. "It sounds like this woman needs to be stopped."

Thor nodded. "Indeed." He turned to Sif. "Contact Valkyrie in Wakanda."

"We'll start calling the others…" Cap began only for Thor to cut him off with a wave of the hand.

"No. Amora is one of us. This is an Asgardian matter."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Okay, Thor, let's take a moment to contemplate what I'm about to tell you. I've lost count how many times I've gone into a situation on my own and it's blown up spectacularly in my face. When I am actually airing concerns of exercising caution, that should be a major warning sign."

"He does raise a great point," Darcy noted. "Strength in numbers and all that."

"I mean no offense…" Thor began.

"Okay, that term has a zero percent success rate."

"I know Balder. If anyone has a chance of breaking Amora's hold on him, it's me." Thor turned to Sif. "We need to contact Valkyrie. She can be a good aid as well."

"Thor," Steve began.

Wonder Woman held up a hand. "Captain, we fight magic and gods. Strong as you may be, this is a conflict beyond most mortal men."

Steve still wasn't sure but slowly nodded. "Fine. But keep in contact with us. Just say the word and we'll be there in moments." He nodded to Tony. "We at least have to give him a chance."

"Ooooh, can I come?" Darcy pressed. "Come on, I wanna see another Earth!"

"Please, take her," Tony half-pleaded. "Otherwise, we put up with her complaining about it for hours on end."

Jane smiled to Diana. "She's really a capable helper."

"If I was more capable, you'd pay me more."

"I'm on a budget."

"You're a freaking goddess now!"

"A goddess on a budget."

Diana laughed lightly. "Oh, Bruce is so going to enjoy this…"

* * *

The darkened catacombs had been deserted for long, even insects had long abandoned it. It was one of those places where dust had culminated for so long that it was now an entire layer upon the various columns and the broken statues. The air was thick and musty as Amora and Balder calmly walked forward to find the main chamber. Amora was quite calm as she held the artifact in her hands. Balder simply stood behind her attentively as she headed to the platform set inside what had once been a grand temple.

The columns were long shattered yet the stone work of the steps leading to the altar were clear. They surrounded a large stone shape that resembled a figure of some sort but without any detail. Amora placed the gem at the statue's center as it affixed itself to the strange material. She whispered, speaking an incantation in a language dead long before humanity existed. The gem seemed to shimmer with light as Amora backed up slowly.

The green energy flowed over the statue, covering it completely. It flowed into a mist that shimmered with obvious power. Balder was dedicated to his mistress and thus stepped forward to protect her. Yet he still felt foreboding at the aura of darkness that seemed to grow with the green cloud.

Amora smiled as she saw the figure slowly form itself from the cloud of energy. It was a woman whose beauty rivaled Amora's own, incredibly gorgeous but her skin a tad darker. Her long hair was lush and black while also streaked with red and purple in a wild mix. Her dark eyes seemed to flare with power as they gazed outward. Her green uniform flowed over her body, showing off her nice curves as it held to a classical Greek style.

The woman groaned and stretched out with cracks in her body. She looked to Balder and smiled. "Ah, so you're the one who freed me. You have my gratitude." She held up a hand as a ball of flame formed within it. "In exchange, I'll make your death as swift and painless as possible."

A coughing sound got her attention and she turned to the blonde woman nearby. Her eyes narrowed and flared with energy. "Amora," she hissed.

"Hello, Circe," Amora stated in a friendly tone. "It's been such a long time."

"I have spent…" Circe cocked her head as if listening to something. "Almost two thousand years trapped within that horrific prison. Yet it was more tolerable than having to endure your face again."

"Oh, really, Circe. Are you still holding a grudge?" Amora seemed to have no worries about the obvious anger on the other woman's face or the ball of fire in her hand.

"You sold me out!"

"As if you wouldn't have done the same if the positions were reversed."

"True but you did it to me first! That's the aggravating part!"

Amora waved a hand. "I didn't go to the trouble of tracking you down and freeing you to rehash old times, Circe. I did so because we have an opportunity to both get the power and glory we want."

Circe gawked at her. "Are you mad? After what you did? Why should I-"

"The daughter of Hippolyta lives on Earth."

Circe froze in place. The ball of fire slowly extinguished itself as a wicked smile crossed her features. "Well, why didn't you just say that in the first place?"

Amora's own grin was just as twisted. "I believe it's time both our former pantheons got a long overdue lesson in manners."

Balder simply stood at the side as the two magical women exchanged a long handshake.

* * *

**So hope you enjoy. Also, if you want to imagine major characters….**

**The Enchantress: Charlize Theron**

**Circe: Angelina Jolie**

**Balder: Liam Hemsworth (oh, come on, it's perfect)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sins, Sirens and Strife**

**By Michael Weyer**

_**Shazam**_** has inspired a bit more for this so hope you enjoy the update**.

* * *

**Earth-51**

**Belle Reeve Prison**

The alarms wailed around as guards continued to pour into the hallway. Almost as soon as they did, they were driven back by blasts of magic. Two guards suddenly found themselves writhing and wailing in agony as their bones were broken and their bodies convulsing. In minutes, they were pigs racing around the ground with remnants of their uniforms around them. Balder was cutting down a guard with a sword as Amora waved a hand to set another on fire.

They finally came to a large doorway. Circe nodded as she pulled back her fist and it came loose from its hinges. The lone occupant of the cell started before rising to his feet. He was a bald man in a dark prison suit, one eye appearing unfocused and glazed behind his glasses. However, he appeared surprisingly calm as he saw the two women enter.

"Dr. Thaddeus Sivana," Circe announced. "My colleague and I would have some words with you."

"Indeed," Sivana said in a strong voice. "Would the subject involve a certain temple neither of you can find?"

He had to smirk at the surprised glance between the two witches. "We had foreseen someone coming sooner or later."

Circe glanced about. "We? I do hope you haven't started talking to yourself. That's never a good sign."

"_He was referring to me_." The two women turned to see the small jar sitting on the table inside the cell. Inside it was what appeared to be a green caterpillar with some sort of electronic box around its waist. "_I had sensed your arrival upon this world. And I believe I know what it is you seek."_

Most people, when met by what appeared to be a caterpillar talking through an electronic box, would just gape in disbelief. Circe and Amora merely shrugged it off. "And you would know where it is?" Amora asked.

"_Yes_," the caterpillar stated. "_And only we can lead you to it_."

"Perhaps…" Amora smiled before leaning in to give Sivana a long kiss. She pulled back with a smile…which faded when Sivana merely smirked at her. "Thank you for that," he said in a mocking tone. "It has been quite a long time."

"What…" Amora frowned. "How can you…"

Circe had to lean in to whisper. "Performance issues, dear?"

Sivana kept smiling. "Thanks to my…experience…and my partnership with Mister Mind…I am immune to most forms of magical control." He brought himself up. "Which means the only way you find what you want is to bring us with you."

Circe glared at him. "I can rip the information from your mind very easily."

"_But not mine_," Mister Mind, the caterpillar, stated. _"Do not be fooled by my size, woman. I am far stronger and more of a threat than you can imagine._" He leaned forward. "_However, our goals do appear to be intertwined so I'm willing to add a few more chattering monkeys to this little band of ours."_

"Hey!" a voice called out from another cell. "Hey, Sivana! If you're gonna have some fun, let me out too!" Circe frowned as she looked out the hallway and into the window of the next cell. Inside was a small man with a twisted expression on his face. While he may have been small in size, it was clear from the twisted look in his eyes that he was a dangerous figure.

Circe looked over to Sivana. "Friend of yours?"

"Stanley Printwhistle," Sivana explained. "Currently serving eight life sentences after blowing up a city bridge as part of a twisted protest. Frankly rather annoying company but then I'm hardly one to talk…"

Circe pursed her lips as she looked into the cell. She waved her hand to open it and face Printwhistle. "Hmmm….such darkness in you. Greater than your size would indicate." She looked over her shoulder at Amora. "We had discussed a…test subject...for that gem?" She nodded to Printwhistle, who was now looking less sure of himself.

Amora smiled as she stepped forward, removing the gem to let it float in the air. Sivana was watching from his own cell with scientific fascination as the two women chanted under their breaths. They threw out their hands to unleash bolts of energy upon the gem. It spun about before bathing Printwhistle in its energies. At first, the man gasped in pain but then shook under its effects, his body shifting about.

Circe smiled. "Oh yes…it is working. Accept it, Stanley! The Terror of Ivan! The Cunning of Cesare Borgia! The Fierceness of Atilla the Hun! The Cruelty of Caligula!" Her smile brightened. "Say the word!"

Printwhistle cried out as he arched back to scream "_Ibac_!" A blast of lightning seemed to cover him. It faded to show Printwhistle had transformed. He was now over six feet tall, bald and his muscular form bulging with power. His prison uniform was now stretched over the body yet somehow managed to stay on and show off his new physique. He clenched his fists and grinned wildly. "Yes…oh, yes, this is amazing!"

Amora smiled. "I assume you'll be joining us?'

"Baby, for the power you just gave me? I'm yours!"

"Good. And never call me baby."

Sivana was picking up the jar as he faced the duo. "Right now, we will have more reinforcements coming soon. Perhaps we should just get going before we continue this conversation?"

Circe nodded as she waved her hands. A cloud of purple smoke covered them and they vanished just as a pack of officers in SWAT uniforms burst into the now empty cell.

* * *

**Gotham City**

"This is your headquarters?" Thor mused as he looked around the Justice League's manor. "It feels…homely."

"It is a home," Jane pointed out. She and Thor were in their regular outfits alongside Sif and Valkyrie. Sif was in her usual armor while Valkyrie had hers in a bag. Instead, she was clad in her "everyday clothes" of a tight leather suit that showed off her form nicely. Diana was leading them into the main meeting room where the rest of the League had gathered.

Superman nodded to the group. "Good to see you all again." He motioned to Green Lantern. "This is John Stewart, one of the Green Lanterns. Sort of an interstellar police force."

Thor and Jane both exchanged quick handshakes. Diana's eyes fell on the younger man with the group. He was handsome with a boyish face, his muscled form clad in a nearly solid red suit. A short white cape with a hood was draped around his shoulders. At the center of his chest was a bright yellow lightning bolt that seemed to glow. "Holey Moley," he said, staring at Diana. "It's…wow…so cool to meet you!"

Superman nodded. "Diana, this is Shazam, that new hero from Philadelphia." Diana shook hands with the man who just stared at her in wonder. "Wow, you are so much hotter in person. God, I can't believe I said that!"

Diana had the smile of someone used to this treatment. "A pleasure to meet you." She glanced to Superman. "Are we already expanding?"

"No," he answered as he waved them to the main meeting table. "But a new development that required us to call on Shazam."

"Actually, I kinda call myself Captain Thunder," the man stated. "I know, cheesy but somehow, papers got hold of the other name and it started to get around. So, um, I use that other name, just kinda personal preference but you can call me either, really, it's cool!" He saw Batman glaring at him and swallowed.

Thor was still glancing around. "Hmmm….it's not bad, to be sure."

"That's what you say," Darcy remarked. She was holding a large bag over her shoulders which she dropped down. She was still amazed at the trip to an alternate Earth yet contained her attitude. "Come on, a super-hero team working out of a mansion? How lame is that?"

She was cut off from more as she saw Batman glaring at her. "Wow, you are the scariest man I have ever been attracted to."

Batman just hit some buttons to activate the holographic display. "There was an attack at Belle Reeve," he announced. The display showed security feeds of Amora marching with Balder. Thor grit his teeth watching his friend slash a guard down with his sword. Jane had to put a hand to his shoulder to calm him.

Diana's eyes widened at the other woman with Amora. "By Hera…_Circe_."

"Whoa," Green Lantern said as he held up a hand. "As in the Greek myths?"

"Which we call history," Diana stated. "A wicked sorceress who clashed with the Amazons centuries ago. She was defeated and then imprisoned in a magical temple. It appears Amora has forged an alliance with her."

"The reason Shazam is here is because of who they broke out." Batman hit another button to show the image of a bald man. "Dr. Thaddeus Sivana . Once a respected scholar until he went on a rampage in Philadelphia."

Shazam licked his lips. "Yeah, that was…sorta me." He saw everyone looking at him and took a deep breath. "Okay, this may sound crazy…" He took in the group before him. "Or not. I got my powers from this wizard who had spent years looking for a champion. Sivana was one of the many who got offered but failed his test and got sent back. Guess the guy became obsessed with it over the years. He found a way to access the Wizard's temple and unleashed these spirits who embodied the Seven Sins."

Wonder Woman nodded. "The Rock of Eternity…my mother had talked of it once. They did not have much contact with that Wizard but respected his place."

Shazam nodded. "So, Sivana stole the power and the Wizard just had enough left to give to me so I could be his champion. Me and Sivana fought and with some help, I got the Sins out of him. The authorities locked him up but looks like he's out now."

"Huh," Green Lantern noted as he looked at the image of Sivana. "Weird. He kind of reminds me of Sinestro."

The image showcased the transformation of Printwhistle which threw everyone. "Whoa," the Flash intoned. "Serious upgrade."

Diana sighed. "Circe always had a flair for transformations. If she and Amora can bring about such in any random person, the power of that gem is even greater than we suspected."

Batman glanced to Thor. "What can you tell us about her? Her character?"

Sif snorted. "What character?"

Thor held up a hand. "She is…petty. Vain to the extreme. Frankly, it's not that she's evil so much as just a schemer."

Diana shook her head. "With Circe, she's evil all right. That witch is a twisted monster who lives to gain more power. Whatever she and Amora are plotting cannot be good."

"I've got scanners working to detect them," Batman intoned. "Between that power and the different vibrational frequencies from another reality, they should stand out."

"Except Amora is no fool," Thor pointed out. "She will be careful to mask herself."

Superman was cocking his head. "Damn, I have to go. Earthquake in Turkey. I'll be back soon." In a blur he was gone.

Darcy blinked. "He's…flying to Turkey. Damn, that dude is awesome." She saw Jane looking at her. "Sorry but he is!"

* * *

"More tea?" As always, Alfred Pennyworth was a calming presence in the manor, offering some refreshments to the guests inside the main library of Wayne Manor. Darcy accepted as she munched on a cookie. "Okay, first thing we do when we get back? Tell Tony we need a butler."

Jane rolled her eyes. "Come on, I mean it!" Darcy pressed. "Put out an ad, butler for the Avengers, it'll be great!"

Thor was looking over one of the large volumes as Aquaman came up to him. "So…hear you're a ruler too," Arthur began.

"My kingdom isn't much at the moment," Thor was forced to admit. "But yes…I suppose I am still a king." He sniffed. "It's strange. I spent so long wanting it to the point of ignoring what truly makes a king. I was foolish and arrogant and my father rightly punished me. Yet now that I finally have the throne…I realize how empty it is."

"Huh." Arthur leaned on a shelf. "Funny. I never wanted to be king at all. I was happy just hanging around, occasionally helping folks and drinking. Now that I am…I realize just how much responsibility it is. Even with my mom and Mera helping, it's a huge deal."

"My father spent years trying to remind me of the responsibility," Thor noted. "Sadly, I didn't listen to him until too late." He shook his head. "So much time and potential wasted…and now Asgard is ruined."

"But at least you got your own people now," Arthur pointed out. "Believe me, I spent too long pushing folks back. Opening up is really a lot better."

Thor smiled as he put a hand to his shoulder. "A promise here, King Arthur. When this is done, you shall show me your favorite spot on this world to indulge in drink!"

"Now that's an offer I can take," Arthur grinned.

Darcy was flipping through a book with some interest. "Huh. No HYDRA on this world, just your regular run of the mill Nazis. And really not much in truly freaky stuff until Supes came along."

"Sounds a bit calmer," Jane noted.

"And boring," Valkyrie said as she paced around. The woman had always struck Jane as a restless sort and clearly just sitting around waiting for something to happen wasn't working out well for her. "Are we going to get involved in some action here or what?"

"We'll get to some, don't worry," Thor replied.

"Hmmm...course could be a different type of action." Valkyrie smiled at Alfred. "Tell me, are the Bat and the Amazon an item? Wouldn't mind joining in."

"Ugh, threesomes are a hassle," Darcy remarked. "All those limbs mingling around and figuring out whose butt is touching whose, just way too much work."

Valkyrie raised an eyebrow. "You sound like you're speaking from experience."

"...No."

Thor rolled his eyes. "I'm in the position of offering calm counsel. My mother must be laughing from Valhalla."

Jane had to smile from the couch as she accepted more tea from Alfred. She saw Shazam enter to nod at Alfred. "Isn't that outfit a little uncomfortable?"

"Well, yeah, a bit." Shazam admitted. "But it's kind of hard to get out of it. I mean…it's complicated…" He waved a hand. "Just kind of want to keep it quiet for now."

"Huh, you guys still go for secret identities here?" Darcy sipped her drink. "Seems a waste."

"They prefer it" Alfred stated as he cleaned up some of the dishes on a nearby table. "Master Bruce is hoping you accept his privacy and don't go broadcasting his real name."

"Your boss is a wee bit intense," Darcy noted.

"He has his reasons," Alfred allowed.

Valkyrie threw back her drink. Alfred frowned. "Is that from the wine cellar?"

"Yeah, you need a new lock." Alfred just let out a tired sigh.

An alarm echoed through the mansion as the group came to attention. They filed into the meeting room as Batman was activating the holograph table to show a map. "We have a hit," he intoned. "Metropolis Natural History Museum."

"I'm on it," Superman noted as he headed to the door.

"As are we," Thor said as he and Jane were soon moving with. "We can get there faster." The group gathered around them as Thor and Jane both studied the map. They looked to each other and nodded as they slammed Mjlonir and Stormbreaker together. A flash of lightning ripped out as the room was now empty. Alfred looked to Darcy who brushed down her fired-up hair. "So….You have _Real Housewives_ on this world?"

* * *

Usually, the Metropolis Natural History Museum was a quiet place on a weekday. Right now, the mood was one of sheer and utter panic much as in New York a day before. Tourists were racing to get out of the way of a massive chest tossed through the air like a child's toy. A few guards and guides were helping them escape while others made the fatal mistake of trying to stop the intruders and paying for it.

Circe was letting out a playful whistle as she marched through the hallways in the Egyptian wing of the museum. It was well decorated with huge statues of various animal figures such as jackals and others and replicas of mummies alongside the various jewels and other artifacts. "Ah, this is so wonderful. You know how long it's been since I had this much fun?" She waved a hand to incinerate a guard.

Amora had to smile with her. Behind them, Sivana was keeping calm as he marched, holding the jar with Mind in his hands. Balder followed him as Ibac threw a guard across the room before hurrying to join them. "See, I told you we'd have a blast."

Circe's eyes narrowed as she saw a nearby case containing what looked to be an ancient tablet. "Is that is?"

Sivana moved forward, nodding as he took in the tablet. "Yes. I had heard of this before the events with the Sins. It shouldn't be too difficult to translate…"

A blast of light echoed as the group spun about. They saw the League there alongside Thor, Thunderstrike, Sif and Valkyrie. Amora's eyes narrowed as she saw them. "Well, well. The fair-haired prince has returned. It's been too long, Thor."

Thor glared at her. "Once chance, Amora. Release Balder and give yourself up or suffer."

"Oh, Thor, you always said the nicest things."

Circe smiled as she took in Diana. "Ah, yes. Clearly Hippolyta's offspring. I can see you have her eyes. I can't wait to have them."

Wonder Woman was moving in as Circe threw out her hands. Magical energy ripped out to cover the nearby statues. They shivered and glowed before coming to life and moving in. Aquaman ducked a blow from a jackal as the Flash was racing to evacuate what civilians were left from the area. Cyborg was raising up his arm into a cannon only for Ibac to grab his arm. Cyborg gasped in surprise as the man crushed his arm easily. Ibac laughed as he punched Cyborg back. "Oh, this is terrific!"

Thor moved in toward Amora as Jane joined him. The sorceress noted the weapons and raised an eyebrow. "Wait…the Son of Odin not worthy of Mjlonir but some…mortal is? Your father must love that."

Thor paused and shook his head. "You don't know."

Amora frowned. "Know what?"

"My father is dead," Thor told her. "Asgard is gone. There is nothing left for you to rule."

Amora's smile faltered as she realized he was serious. "What?"

"There's no throne for you," Sif snapped. "Nothing but fire and ash."

"Give it up now," Thor pressed.

Amora took a moment then shrugged. "Fine. I'll make do in this world." She nodded as Balder lunged at Thor, who barely blocked his sword with his axe. "Balder, fight it!" he yelled. "You're stronger than that witch!"

"That witch is my beloved!" Balder snapped as he slammed Thor against a nearby case. "She saved me from death!"

"She corrupted you!" Thor retorted. "Remember who you are!"

Balder's reply was to smash him once more with his blade. Nearby, Green Lantern was throwing out a beam from his ring to cover Circe and Amora. The two witches seemed more amused than anything as they each struck out with their magics. Green Lantern was taken aback at the sudden assault, doing his best to maintain the shield. However, the combined power of the duo just increased. In a blast of energy, the shield shattered as Green Lantern was sent flying hard against a wall and collapsed in a heap.

Nearby, Superman was trading punches with Ibac, surprised at how strong the man was. Shazam sped in to grab Ibac from behind and lift him up. He threw him back, the man smashing into a nearby case. "Oooooh, I hope they're not expecting me to pay for that," Shazam said with a wince.

Batman was moving fast to avoid the attacks and head toward Sivana. He was nearly there when something spewed out from the case at the man's side. Batman was thrown as some strange white substance covered his body. His confusion grew to alarm as he realized whatever this was had become hard and binding. Within moments, the Dark Knight was on the floor, helpless in the strange binding.

The Flash was racing back in when the same strange material hit the ground in front of him. Flash jarred in place, amazed to find he was stuck to the ground.

Sivana threw a surprised look at Mister Mind. "_I told you I had other talents, Doctor_," the being replied. "_Now back to work."_

Flash looked to Batman. "Did…the caterpillar just talk?"

Wonder Woman was fighting through the attacking statues just in time to see several of the replica mummies also attack. Sif and Valkyrie were fighting them as it became clear the magic was making them into stronger beings. She moved to Circe, raising her shield in time to block a blast of fire. "I'll make sure to have you in Tartarus this time," Diana snapped.

Circe laughed. "Oh, you are so much like your mother. I do so owe her for my own anguish and pain."

"Which you fully deserved." Diana blocked a blow. "What is your game, this time, Circe?"

"Oh, rather simply." Circe smiled. "As I understand it, the Greek Gods are dead by now. Which means someone has to take their place."

Diana shook her head. "Never."

"Never say never, princess," Circe intoned as she threw out her hands to fire another blast of fire which Diana dodged

Amora was leaping to avoid Jane's attack just as Superman was knocked back by a blow from Ibac. He was shaking his head to recover when Amora grabbed him. Before Superman could react, she pressed her lips onto his. Superman shook hard before his eyes flashed. Amora stepped back with a smile. "Be a dear and deal with them, won't you?'

"Of course," Superman said in a flat voice. In a blur, he was tackling Thor, sending the man flying through a wall. "Ooooh that's not very good," Shazam groaned as he chased after them. Amora turned in time to throw a blast of magic at Jane, knocking her back. "Sivana?" she called out. "Not to add pressure but we're in a bit of a rush here…"

Shazam was chasing Superman and Thor, watching as the two smashed through another wall and then into the large courtyard outside the museum. The two were exchanging harsh blows, each determined to bring down the other. Shazam winced as he saw blood fly form Thor's nose and realized Superman wasn't holding back. He moved quickly to grab the man and try and hold him. "Okay, I'm really sorry about this but clearly, you're not yourself so…"

Superman snarled as he shoved Shazam back. The younger man winced but managed to catch one of the punches in his hand. He actually stared at it in surprise before instinct took over and he was able to belt Superman in the face. Thor raised up Stormbreaker and concentrated as a blast of lightning smashed down into Superman. He winced but kept on the attack. Shazam took advantage to punch Superman again, gasping at the pain in his knuckles but kept on.

Inside, Jane was the one trying to defend against Balder as he attacked her. Sif was with her, blocking his blade with her own. "Dammit, Balder, get your head together!" she snapped. His own reply was another slash of the blade.

Outside, Thor and Shazam were doing their best to still contain Superman. Green Lantern had recovered to try and help them both. Shazam grabbed Superman around the arms, pinning him back. He bit his lip as he looked to Lantern. "Put a shield over us!" Lantern frowned as Shazam continued. "Do it!"

Something in his tone convinced Lantern to do so, covering the area over them with a green bubble. Taking a deep breath, the younger red-suited man cried out "_SHAZAM_!"

From out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning ripped downward to smash into the pair. Both Thor and Green Lantern were taken aback by the sudden blast as Thor could tell this was no ordinary bolt of electricity. In the midst of the smoke, they both swore they saw some smaller shape inside with Superman. Before either could react, they heard the word again, this time in a softer voice. "_SHAZAM_!" Once more, the bolt of lightning struck. "_SHAZAM ! _

_"SHAZAM! _

_"SHAZAM! _

_SHAZAM!" _Which each word, another bolt hit.

Finally, the smoke faded to show Superman slumping unconscious in the hands of Shazam. The younger man breathed a sigh of relief as Green Lantern lowered the shield. "Wow….so glad that worked." He moaned before collapsing himself into Thor's arms.

Sivana stood up. "I have it!"

"About bloody time," Circe muttered as she threw out her hands. A wave of magical energy ripped outward to knock the entire League off their feet along with the others. Circe brought her hands together to create a smoke that covered her allies. In seconds, they were gone. As one, the various statues and mummies collapsed into the inanimate objects they had been.

Flash winced as he tried to pull his foot out of the strange webbing. "This really isn't going to look good in our archives, is it?"

* * *

"All right," Green Lantern intoned as the League gathered in their main chamber. "Clearly, we went into this a bit cocky."

Diana sighed as she sat at the side. The group was clearly feeling the aches of the fight. Superman in particular seemed more shaken than usual as he gladly accepted some coffee from Alfred. "Circe's power was greater than I anticipated."

"Amora's as well," Sif stated. "She was never that strong before. She must have been teaching herself some tricks since her exile."

"Speaking of tricks," Batman intoned as he rose to his feet. He fixed Shazam with a glare that had the younger man slinking back. "How?'

Shazam blinked. "Um, what?"

"How did you beat him?" Batman motioned to Superman. "Your strength levels are great, greater than we thought. But to handle Kal cutting loose? With that lightning? How?"

Shazam licked his lips. "Um, luck? Or, skill. Skill! That was it, lots and lots of skill and…" He saw Batman coming closer. "Oh, wow, you really are scary up close."

"Batman," Diana began as she rose to her feet.

"Talk or Diana uses the lasso."

"That's not your call to make," Diana snapped.

Batman looked at her. "We learned the hard way about not trusting each other. If he's holding something back that can affect this team, we have to know it now."

Shazam looked at them and sighed. "Okay, um…try not to freak out too much…" Stepping back, he took a deep breath. "_SHAZAM_!"

Once more, the lightning struck to blind everyone. When it faded, in the hero's place was a young dark-haired teenager in simple jeans and a red shirt. "Um…hi." He made a short wave. "Billy Batson."

Dead silence filled the room as everyone stared at him. Not surprisingly, the Flash was the one who broke it. "All right, from here on out, no one is allowed to mock me on my age again."

"You gotta be kidding me," Darcy muttered. "A kid? You're what, 12?"

"Fifteen!" Billy fired back. He paused and shrugged. "Basically."

Superman was amazed as he stood up. "How did…"

"Yeah, long story but that wizard I told you about? When he found me, I was like this and told me I had to get his name so took his staff, it's not what you think, said his name, Shazam…"

Once more, the lightning flashed and the hero was before them, wincing at the way everyone was thrown back and holding their ears. "Ah, sorry. I've been working on how I can say it without causing the transformation but it's been tricky."

Thor shook his head. "A child? The wizard gave this to…a child?"

"To be fair, he was almost out of power so I wasn't exactly top choice," Billy admitted. "But I'd like to think I've been using it okay. I admit, was a bit of a jerk about it but thankfully got my head on straight."

"Magic…" Diana looked to Superman. "That's how it was able to affect you so much." Superman had to nod at that.

Batman shook his head. "We're not trusting a child with this."

"Okay, first of all, dude, it's not your call," Shazam snapped at him. "He gave me the power, not you. Second, I've been at this for a few months and no real complaints. Third, if it wasn't for me, Supes would still be under Amora's spell! I tapped into the wisdom of Solomon which told me, it was possible the lightning could subdue him."

"He's right," Superman stated. "That magic was powerful. I wasn't thinking of Lois at all, just her. I'd have killed all of you to win her favor." He looked to Shazam. "Thank you for stopping me."

"Any time. Actually, no, not any time because that was really hard and hated it so let's never do it again."

Jane coughed to get everyone's attention. "I'm sure this is a topic worth delving into later but right now, we have to figure out what they wanted at that museum."

"I got images of the tablet," Cyborg said, hitting the hologram to bring them up. "According to the museum, it came from a dig of a temple in Kahndaq. It was supposed to be from some area the locals said was long cursed." He shrugged. "Funny how I can actually think they have something about that today."

"Any idea what it says?" Thor asked.

Cyborg shook his head. "Almost no one around knows that language."

"No one except Sivana," Shazam said. "Now he's with Amora and Circe."

"And can we once more point out that somehow they have a talking caterpillar?" Flash pointed out.

Batman looked to Cyborg. "Get everything you can about Khanduq and that temple. Whatever their goal is…it's tied into there."

* * *

**Khanduq**

"Ugh, I'm really getting a bit tired of these temples," Amora noted as the group made their way through the dusty hallways of the pyramid. Circe was using her magic to light the way before them as the others followed, Amora despising the dust hanging to her dress. "Are you certain this is it, Sivana?"

"I have spent my entire life studying everything about the Rock of Eternity and its legends," the scientist responded. "Much has been lost to time and dismissed as myth. I know the truth, that these "myths" are the true history today's world ignores."

He led the way into the main chamber, letting them see a large human-shaped rock inside a huge pit. "Here," Sivana breathed. "As I always knew it….He was locked and sealed away millennia ago by the Wizard and his council. Condemned for what they saw as misuse of his power."

"I remember," Circe stated, looking down upon the pit. "The path of chaos he caused…The destruction left in its wake…"She let out a sigh. "It was intoxicating. I never met him but I had to admire it."

Sivana looked at the coffin within the pit and nodded. "No normal force could possibly break the bond upon this rock."

"Good thing we're not normal," Amora noted. She looked to Circe who smiled back at her. The two grasped hands together as they changed in unison. The temple seemed to shake under their mutual magics as Savina, Ibac and Balder all stepped back. The two women kept their chanting up before breaking their hands and firing beams at the rock below them. It cracked and then began shaking as a sound echoed that resembled a massive gasp for breath.

The rock exploded outward as the group ducked down. Smoke filled the chamber as the figure slowly came up to his feet. He was a tall and powerfully built man with pointed ears and a short haircut. He rose up to show his solid black suit with yellow boots notable by the huge lightning bolt upon his chest. Savina had to note that his costume, except for colors, was a nearly exact match for Shazam's.

He brought himself up to glare at the group. "One reason I do not slaughter you all where you stand," he said in a powerful voice.

"The fact that we're the ones who freed you," Amora noted. "That may merit some gratitude."

The figure glared at her. "Who are you? More importantly…where is the Wizard?" He flexed his fingers.

"The Wizard is dead," Sivana stated. Instantly, the black-garbed man wrapped his hand around his neck and lifted Savina off the ground. "You lie!"

Sivana shook his head as much as he could. "No…No, it is true. I briefly held the power of the Seven Sins. Until his new champion defeated me…"

"New…Champion?" The man's eyes flared as he let Savina go, the man landing in a heap gasping for breath. "Another with his power? Who?"

"Aid us," Circe stated. "And he's all yours. As will be your kingdom."

He nodded as he crossed his arms. "Very well. As long as his power is mine for the taking."

Sivana smiled. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you…_Black Adam."_

* * *

**This ended up a bit longer than planned but wanted to get in a classic Superman/Shazam fight in there. And of course, hard to have Shazam without his arch-enemy around. As you can see, things are getting more complex so all reviews welcomed. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Sins, Sirens and Strife**

**By Michael Weyer**

* * *

Shazam was tapping a foot in nervousness as he was aware of the looks being thrown his way. "This is why I never wanted to tell anyone," he spoke to Thor. "I knew they'd treat me differently."

"I know the feeling," Jane told him. "I get looks whenever I attend a conference and almost no one actually paying attention to a lecture. People thinking I'm some sort of deity now. It's hard to be taken seriously." She rolled her eyes. "Don't get me started on the idiots claiming I somehow "stole Thor's thunder" and think that's clever."

"Thanks," Shazam said with a smile. "It's just so weird, the instant change and shifting back and forth. I'll spare you a lot of the details…"

"And I deeply thank you for that."

"But let's just say going through puberty and back with a single word is not the best way to cope with high school."

Sif mused as she studied him then leaned in to whisper to Thor. "Maybe it's just me but…doesn't he remind you a bit of Fandral?"

Thor frowned as he looked at the man. "Hmm….darker hair, no beard but…you're right." He smiled. "Although Fandral was a tad more successful with the ladies." Sif had to chuckle in agreement.

"All right, I think I have something," Cyborg announced. He was standing before the main holographic table with his red eye focusing on the data flowing through his database search. "According to some older records, there was a major archeological find in Kahndaq in 2001. A temple believed to have been buried about 3600 years ago."

The rest of the heroes watched as the hologram showed the image of a half-buried temple in the desert, its rocky exterior battered by the elements. "What's Kahndaq?" Darcy asked. "I'm not sure we have that one in our world."

"A small nation situated between Egypt and Israel," Superman answered.

Jane winced. "Ouch. If the relations between those two are like they are on our Earth, it can't be nice for Kahndaq."

"It's not," Superman confirmed. "The country suffered a lot thanks to the Six Day War and other conflicts. It's doing a bit better today but its status is still pretty uncertain thanks to the issues of the area."

"According to legend, it was once the major powerhouse in that region," Cyborg stated. "It's hard to tell for sure thanks to how records and legends mix up a bit too much but something happened that changed things."

Batman examined the temple. "What did they find inside?"

"Not much," Cyborg answered. "But not for lack of trying. They did find a codex of some sort and evidence of other treasures. Before they could look further, the entire area was hit by a freak sandstorm out of nowhere. Then six members of the crew took ill from a disease that should have been eradicated centuries ago. The head of the team ended up being killed in a plane crash, his aides drowned when their boat home sank and the locals decided to just give the place a wide berth."

The Flash winced. "Ouch. I've seen enough Indiana Jones movies to know a curse when I see it."

Thor nodded. "Aye. Some deities could be harsh protecting a resting chamber." He paused before rubbing his chin. "Or a prison."

Diana's eyes widened in understanding. "The defenses, the curses…they're not meant to keep people out. They're meant to keep something _inside_."

Batman seemed dubious. "Magic curses for a prison? Seems a bit hard to accept."

"Only if you can't do it," Jane stated.

"I believe in what I can see and judge."

"You have Sherlock Holmes on your world?" At Batman's nod, Jane continued. "Then he says the same thing. Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." She sighed. "The problem with that is that too few people are able to tell the difference between what _is_ impossible and what they _believe_ impossible."

She waved at herself. "If you'd told me five years ago, I'd be wielding a magical hammer I'd have said it was impossible. The world has a way of opening your eyes up more."

Cyborg was looking back at the screen. "The tomb's been cut off from visits ever since. There's a belief that Codex might have some clues but no one has been able to translate it."

"Maybe we can," Valkyrie stated. "Between Asgard and places I've been to, our language grasp is much wider."

"That means we have to find who took it," Superman sighed. "That could take a while."

"No." Batman's jaw was set. "I know where to look for it."

* * *

**St. Roch, Louisiana**

It was quiet at this time of night with the museum long closed. Only a few security guards were about, all of whom were busy either reading a magazine, doing slow walks or playing cards in the main control room. They were used to the museum's recently upgraded security system to do all the work for them. Which was just what the figure slowly sliding down from the ceiling was counting on.

Her body was clad in a tight dark suit, mostly black with shades of purple to it as well. Her boots were high-heeled yet somehow also conventional for her. Her head was covered by a tight cowl with a mask over her face yet did little to hide her gorgeous features. Long black hair cascaded out from under the cowl as she hovered a few feet over a glass case in the middle of the display room.

Carefully, the woman touched a finger to her mask. The goggles over her eyes activated, allowing her to see the infrared lasers criss-crossing the display area. The woman reached to her belt to remove a small device. She held it up as she hit the button on it and watched as the lasers shut off. She lowered herself down on the rappelling line until she was just over the case. Reaching down, the woman touched one of the sharp claws of her glove onto the case. She made a slow circle as the diamond laser tip cut through the glass.

Reaching inside, the woman lifted up the bright red ruby resting inside the case. She tested the weight in her hand, taking a moment to admire it. She then moved to place it into her belt pouch as she prepared to lift herself back up…

"The Eye of Bast. You just couldn't pass it up, could you, Selina?"

At the familiar voice, Selina Kyle twisted in place. She saw Batman standing in the museum chamber, his arms crossed. Superman and the Flash were at his side, the latter unable not to admire Catwoman a bit.

She let out a tired sigh. "Really, Batman? I thought we had a deal when I left Gotham?"

"You haven't hurt anyone so I haven't had to come after you." Batman focused on her. "I thought you were in Europe."

"Ah, I do enjoy stateside now and then." Catwoman appeared utterly nonchalant as if having a conversation while hanging upside down in the middle of a robbery was a normal occurrence.

"Just come down now, Selina," Batman stated.

"Hmmm….No." Catwoman hit her belt to send her speeding up the tether line to the ceiling. In a blur, Superman had cut the line down. In an expert somersault, Catwoman landed right on her feet on the floor. She had already pulled a whip from her belt and was sending it flying in a low angle on the ground. She timed it perfectly as the Flash was racing forward and tripped onto the whip.

Before Catwoman could move, there was a flash as she felt her arms pinned to the sides. Wonder Woman strode out, her lasso wrapped around Catwoman. She glared at the Amazon before looking to Batman. "If you wanted to talk, I do have a phone. You didn't have to bring in your super-friends."

Batman moved toward her. "The Inarmi Codex. You stole it from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo two years ago."

"I did and it was actually easy, the security in that place was a joke." Catwoman blinked before glaring at Wonder Woman. "All right, really, me and Batman have a wonderful banter going with me avoiding his questions and playing hard to get and you're ruining it by making me tell the truth."

"Where is it?" Batman snapped.

"I sold it."

"To who?"

Catwoman shrugged. "You know me, Bat. I work through various secondaries, I never know the real client. Better for both of us. Did fetch a nice price for it."

Batman glared. "You know where though. You don't give up that easily, Selina."

She mused over it. "I have a good idea…" She looked to Wonder Woman. "Really, you can lose this thing now."

Diana smirked. "I think it's best to keep you…"

In only a few seconds, Catwoman had twisted her body, given herself a jump and slid right out of the lasso. Diana blinked in amazement as Catwoman stretched out. "Ah, much better." She smirked at Wonder Woman. "Sorry, hon but I've been tied up much better by tougher people." She gave a sly wink to Batman.

The Flash was leaning to look at him. "Dude, are you blushing?"

"No," he snarled.

"Really, cause I'm pretty sure…"

"Flash!" Batman glared at Selina. "We need that information, Selina."

"Oh? Planning a theft?" She smiled. "Because if so…I want in."

Diana stared at her. "We caught you red-handed stealing a priceless gem and you are offering to steal again?"

Catwoman shrugged. "Gal's gotta eat, Princess." She looked to Batman. "Come on…be like old times…"

He just glared at her as she shrugged. "You want my help…."

Batman glared at her before nodding. "Fine. Leave the Eye behind."

She pouted at him. "But I had the perfect spot at my villa in France for it…"

Superman frowned. "Batman? Where are we going…"

"Oh, please, I've known who Bruce is for a long time," Catwoman smirked. "And it's been way too long since I was in Gotham." She began to saunter forward. "I assume the security guards have given you the okay here. Upgraded the car or are we flying?" She smiled at Superman. "I wouldn't mind being carried in your arms, handsome."

Superman just looked at Batman. "You have the most interesting friends…"

* * *

Khanduq's palace was a lavish building, the single property worth more than half the city combined. Whereas most of the city was full of hovels and markets, the palace was made as elegant as any building in a far more developed country. The flags of the nation flew from banners as soldiers patrolled the area. The occasional passerby would give a harsh look but then move on. The last attempt to form some sort of protest to the harsh ruling class had ended in mass bloodshed.

In his main office, Asim Muhunnad sat in the lavish area. He was a fat man whose tight military uniform boasted scores of medals that were completely unearned. His office was packed with several items of gold and expensive art including a huge portrait of himself on the wall. He was leaning back as he observed his staff. "What of the latest deals with Biyala?"

"We have managed to earn a substantial return on our latest drug smuggling," one aide said. "Combined with the arms sales abroad and we should be making a good profit."

"Excellent," Asim stated with his oily smile. "Anything else?"

"Another complaint from the U.N.," another aide stated in a bored tone. "About our refusal to aid the refugees of the flood last year."

"Tell them our infrastructure is too damaged at this time," Asim said as he lit up a $200 cigar. "And let me see the latest models of Ferrari. I feel like one in gold this year…"

Before anyone could reply, a loud ruckus emerged from outside. Loud screams were heard along with the sounds of gunfire. Everyone was rising up just as the doors to the office burst off their hinges. Striding into the room was a powerfully built man in a nearly black uniform with a golden lightning bolt on his chest and a sash at his waist. Behind him, a soldier opened fire with a machine gun with the man treating it as if it as a mosquito bite. He grabbed a nearby globe and tossed it behind him to send the soldier flying back.

The man turned back to face the stunned group. "This…is what has become of my home?" he hissed in a voice filled with rage. "What was once the center of a dynasty has now become some…some pathetic downtrodden hive overseen by greedy jackals?"

One general was rising up. "Who are you to…"

Without hesitation, Black Adam threw out a punch, his fist bursting right out of the general's back. Everyone else leapt back in shock and horror as the man's body fell. Black Adam gazed hard at Asim, who cowered back in his chair. "You have lived off the backs of the populace of this nation. You claim to be their leader but you have no concept what such a role demands." His eyes narrowed. "It is time Khanduq finally took its rightful place in the world."

His eyes narrowed at the men before him. "A shame you will not be there to see it."

The screams of the men in the room could be heard by what few people remained alive in the palace.

* * *

As soon as the gorgeous woman in the leather-clad outfit sauntered into the meeting room, Valkyrie's eyes widened. "I may just move to this Earth."

Darcy mused. "I don't know. All these leather outfits aren't as much a turn-on as I thought they'd be."

Batman nodded to her. "This is Selina Kyle aka Catwoman. As much as I hate to admit it, there's no better thief alive on the planet."

"Awwww, you always knew how to say the sweetest things," Catwoman smirked as she lounged into a cushioned chair with her heeled boots up. She looked to the older man and smiled. "Alfred! Good to see you again!"

"Ms. Kyle." Alfred actually had a small smile on his face. "It has been too long. Sherry?"

"Thank you."

Batman gave Alfred a hard look as he shrugged. "It's been a while since we had some decent female company in this house. Aside from Ms Diana."

"She's a thief, Alfred. She's dangerous and I sometimes wonder about her sanity."

"Of course sir, you are in the best position to judge someone else's mental stability." Alfred walked off without enjoying the smirks most in the room were throwing at Batman.

Darcy smiled at Jane. "I am so glad I came on this job."

A beeping sound came over the communicators. Cyborg patched in to show a collage of various news feeds. Each was dominated by the same image of Black Adam floating above a sea of onlookers in the main square of Khanduq. In his hand he clutched a struggling Asim, the man's uniform stained with blood. "_I am Teth-Adam_," he began in a bold voice. "_Thousands of years ago, this was my land, my home. I took harsh measures but that was the time. I did what it took to make Khanduq a land of peace and prosperity. That prosperity has been long lost…but will now be reclaimed."_

He held up Asim. "_This man has harmed and exploited the people of this land for long enough. From this day forth, Khanduq will once more stand tall_." His eyes narrowed. "_And woe to anyone who tries to stop me."_

He let his hand open to allow Asim to drop into the square. The man barely had time to gasp before he found himself surrounded by the people he had brutally treated. "_You are not worth staining my hands with_," Adam snapped, his arms crossed. "_They shall see to your judgement_."

Asim looked up in terror, recognizing the looks of many who had lost loved ones to his death squads, his stravations and more. His screams echoed as they descended on him in a wave of righteous anger.

Adam gazed back at the cameras focusing on him. _"I am now the ruler of this land. It shall become a jewel of this part of the world._" His eyes narrowed. _"And any attempt to stop me…shall be met with strict reprisals."_

The image went dark as newscasters buzzed over this. "Damn," Flash whispered. "Who the hell is this guy?"

Batman looked to Shazam. "His uniform looks like yours."

Shazam slowly nodded. "The Wizard told me he and his buddies gave powers to a guy long ago but he was corrupted by them. I think that might be him."

Batman looked to Selina. "We need that Codex, Selina, to find out more about him."

"What about this Adam?" Thor pressed. "We can't just let someone like that take over a country."

Aquaman snorted. "Did you see the way those folks tore Asim apart? Trust me, right now, Adam isn't a conqueror, he's their hero."

"Plus, we don't just go in overthrowing people and installing our will on nations," Green Lantern stated. "One of my Corps, Sinestro, did that and it turned him into a dictator in no time."

"We still have to handle him," Superman stated. "The situation is unstable as it is without a rogue powerhouse like him adding to the fire."

* * *

Black Adam tossed aside a bloodied corpse as he examined a map on the side of the office. "Hmm…the world has changed much in the last few thousand years."

"Tell me about it," Circe agreed. She sipped from a glass of champagne as she lounged in a nearby couch., not seeming to mind the decapitated body nearby. "Far too many countries to keep a tight eye on. We really need to lock down control better in the future."

Sivana was less than impressed by the banter between them. He also admitted to being more troubled than he expected at the condition of teh room. "Do we really have the time to waste indulging in some power play?"

"_Sivana is correct_," Mister Mind declared from his place on the edge of the table. "_The reaction to this little coup is going to be swift and bring those heroes back upon us."_

Adam sniffed. "I have defeated armies before."

"Today, we have these little things called nukes," Sivana dryly stated. "Not to mention the Justice League."

Black Adam waved a hand. "I shall handle them."

"_Best not to be overconfident_," Mind stated. "_You have been trapped for several millennia_."

Ibac was gulping on a drink as he shook his head. "Where's blondie anyway?"

"She had something to handle before joining us," Circe stated.

Ibac shook his head. "We should be keeping an eye on her."

"I'm sure you would," Circe dryly stated. "The adults are talking, please."

"Hey, I may not be a big brain but I've got the sense to know when someone's playing me! And she's doing it to all of you!"

Adam glared at him. "I am never 'played'."

"And I manipulate others, not the other way around," Mind stated.

Ibac threw up his hands. "Have none you watched _Wild Things_?" Four blank stares met him. "1998 movie, really a classic. Four con artists working a scam and the key thing is that three of them each think they're the one who knows the real deal, which is double-crossing the other two for the score. What none of them realize is that the fourth member is playing them off each other, letting them think they're in charge and then screwing them all over in the end."

"What are you saying?" Adam pressed.

Ibac pointed at him, then Sivana and then Circe. "You're Matt Dillon, he's Kevin Bacon, she's Denise Richards but guess what? None of you are Neve Campbell and she's the one who sails off with the money."

"We don't care about money," Circe snapped.

"I know," Ibac fired back. "You each want some power of some sort. Question is, what does Enchantress want? And why is she so eager to use all of us to get it?"

Everyone took in his words before Mind spoke up. "_As much as it pains me to say this…I do think this thick-headed ape actually has a good point."_

Circe sipped her wine. "I'm inclined to agree."

Ibac shrugged. "Look, she gave me the power but trusting this woman? Forget it."

A cloud of green smoke emerged to show Amora with Balder at her side. "Sorry for the delay," she announced. "I had to get some extra ingredients for my plan."

"And here I was thinking you were just taking some…personal time," Circe said, eyeing Balder.

"_Mammals_," Mind snorted. "_No matter your power, you are still overcome by your petty emotions and needs. Even Adam here."_

Adam glared at him. "Do not press me, worm or you shall be crushed like the insect you are."

"Easy, boys," Amora said. She frowned at Mind. "It is 'boy' right? I know you call yourself Mister but still…"

"Amora," Circe cut in. "The plan?"

"Right." Amora moved to the map and pointed to what appeared to be an empty spot in the Pacific Ocean. "Under a variety of cloaking spells and its actual location moving is a lovely little island called Themyscira, home to the Amazons. A race of warrior ladies I do believe Circe is well acquainted with."

Circe scowled. "If the plan involves razing that place into the sea, then I'm all for it."

"It will," Amora promised. "However, there is also a power source on that island, one that can benefit all of us." She faced them with a smile. "The Purple Ray."

Circe's eyes lit up. "Ah, I should have known."

"_The what?"_ Mind asked.

"That's what the Amazons call it," Amora stated. "Orgone energy is another name for it. An amazing source of power to manipulate cells at their atomic level." She snorted. "Those Amazons….they claim to be warriors and they waste it on healing others. A source of energy that can easily be used for other purposes."

"Just what do you get out of it?" Sivana pressed. "With respect, madam, I have learned the hard way about putting my trust in others. Especially those with clearly dark intentions. I'm not fooling myself into thinking this is an equal partnership but I don't like being kept in the dark."

"_I am forced to agree with Sivana_," Mind put in. "_I have my own plans and while aiding you can help me achieve my goals, I will not stand for being used."_

"Nor I," Adam agreed, glaring at Armora. He nodded to Balder. "Unlike your bodyguard, I do not follow you out of infatuation, woman. I follow no one."

She looked to Circe, who shrugged. "Sorry, dear, but you don't have the best reputation for being trustworthy. And this is coming from me."

Amora sighed. "Very well. I am planning my return to my own dimension. I had hoped that the power of the Purple Ray would aid me in finally taking over Asgard. Seeing as how Asgard no longer exists, as I have just confirmed with some scyring, I will be altering said plans to find another world that can accept me as their queen."

Circe sniffed. "Really, Amora? That's what this all adds up to? Getting your own throne?"

"I'm sorry and just what do you plan on doing?" Amora snapped. "Retire to a beach house?" She looked to Mind. "Get back to whatever planet you came from?" She waved to Adam. "He has his homeland and power. I want mine."

Circe narrowed her eyes. "Just be sure you don't screw the rest of us over getting it, _dear_ Amora. I'd hate to have to punish you after all we've been through."

"I'll bear that in mind," Amora stated. She looked to the others. "If anyone else has any objections, I'll listen."

"What of the Justice League?" Sivana pressed. "And the heroes from your world?"

"i have plans for that," Amora stated. She looked to the map with a smile. "Let's go ravage Paradise."

* * *

It took Thor and Jane a few moments to realize they hated Gotham City.

There was something about this place that just screamed out an area of danger. There was grime, there was filth and even the architecture seemed to be designed to drive someone mad. That was the downtown area. It was even worse in the slums and the rough neighborhood Catwoman led the group to which was called the Narrows.

To their surprise, the actual loft was rather upscale behind its door, featuring some nice carpeting and more than a few expensive paintings and decorations about. As soon as Selina entered, a half dozen cats of various kinds came up to her, letting out meows. "Sorry it took so long, sweeties," Catwoman said, taking time to stroke a few of the cats in turn. "I promise, it won't be as bad in the future."

She moved to the nearby kitchen and emerged with a bowl of food in one hand and a saucer of milk in the other. She put each down as the cats converged. "I guess Holly was delayed checking in on you."

Wonder Woman observed her with great interest. "You truly love these animals, don't you?"

Selina shrugged. "They're better than most people. Especially in this city." She looked to Batman who was simply glaring at her. "I suppose it's too much to ask you just turn around so you don't see my safe."

"I know where it is."

"And I know you know which is why I moved it."

"I know where."

"Ah, which is why I moved it again."

Thor frowned to Jane. "If this is what passes as flirtation on this world, I am rather concerned on the future of this species." Jane had to nod at that.

Finally rolling her eyes, Selina moved to a nearby painting of a pack of kittens on a lovely rug. She pulled it back to reveal a safe with a keypad and two classic locks. In a few moments, Selina had it opened to pull out a thick volume. "The Codex," she said, holding it up then pulling it back just before Batman could take it. "Ah, ah. We still haven't discussed payment."

"We don't throw you in jail," Wonder Woman stated. "That works well."

Catwoman looked her over. "You don't like me much, do you? And not just because you have issues with feline-themed villainesses."

"You're a criminal."

"We can't all be princesses."

"You have amazing talent and intellect. Surely you could make more of yourself."

Catwoman snorted. "This is Gotham, Princess. Just surviving is making something of yourself." She looked Diana over. "How long since you actually walked among normal people? I see you on TV doing charity stuff and visiting areas but when was the last time you put the hair up and tried to be a normal person."

"To be fair," Thor stated. "It is a bit harder for one such as her to simply 'mingle.' Jane and I have that difficulty on our world."

"Or it could be you don't want to," Selina fired back. "You can go ahead and judge me all you want but you haven't lived like I have, any of you. I do what I do to survive." She shrugged. "Bats can understand that as much as he'll deny it."

Jane raised an eyebrow. "Really? The man who grew up in wealth and luxury knows a hard life?"

Selina looked at her in a hard tone. "Do you know why he does it? Why he's spent two decades risking his life every night?" She looked at Batman who was merely staring grimly at her. "If he doesn't want to tell, that's his choice. Trust me, he's been driven by stuff a lot tougher than what you have." She looked to Wonder Woman. "Just because we're women, don't think we're on the same side, Princess. You don't judge me until you've walked where I have."

Diana looked at her for a long moment before glancing to Batman. "You two really must have gotten along well."

Selina smiled. "You have no idea…"

"Selina," Batman snapped. "The Codex." She stared at him and he sighed. "Please."

Diana just stared as Selina handed the book over. "Please? You just said 'please'? To her?"

Selina winked. "Maybe I just have the right touch…"

Jane leaned in toward Thor. "I really am afraid to imagine what internet dating is like in this world."

* * *

"So how is internet dating in this world?" Valkyrie asked Flash.

The younger man shrugged. "Not too bad, I guess. I've been a bit too busy to handle it."

She frowned at him. "You can move at the speed of sound."

"Yet, I still don't have enough time on my hands. Ironic, I know."

"I see this world also has bad definitions of irony." Valkyrie shrugged. "I do wonder if I should try to get myself out there more. I just don't seem to connect to people."

The Flash looked over her armored form with the large sword at her back and how she was downing her third straight bottle of wine. "I can't imagine why."

There was a crack of thunder outside and moments later, Batman, Catwoman, Thor and Jane entered the manor. Batman was holding the Codex up to Cyborg. "Here. Get cracking." Cyborg nodded as he took the book and started scanning it into the database.

"Ya know, you can get further with a kind word than a bad attitude," Darcy noted. Batman just fixed her with that glare that once more made her step back. Cyborg was ignoring her to enter the Codex into the database. The holographic projector showcased the various writings as Cyborg worked away. "Running it through various translation programs now, hope to be able to crack it. Languages are like any other code, just need to find the right key."

Thor was looking at the pages with some interest. "Hmmm...This does look somewhat familiar. My mother did her best to teach me on languages in my youth." He sighed. "Sadly, I had little patience for it then. Whereas Loki absorbed it easily. Yet another mistake I wish I had avoided."

"That's how it is," Arthur agreed. "You blow off this stuff in your youth and find out too late it could have been important down the line."

Darcy blinked. "Wow. I no longer feel as terrible sleeping through my home ec courses."

Diana's eyes narrowed as she saw one page. "Wait...that mentions Themyscira."

"You mean the island full of women who are just as gorgeous and warrior capable as you are?" Valkyrie's eyes went wide. "What's that expression Darcy taught me...Dibs!"

"Atta girl!" Darcy called out.

Diana was focused on the words. "They mention the Purple Ray...a healing device we've long utilized on the island...The power it contains…"

"Power that can be misused," Batman noted.

"We have to get over there," Green Lantern pressed.

Diana shook her head. "Themyscira is specially protected against outsiders." She glanced at Thor. "I doubt your hammers could manage to break through to it."

A beeping sound echoed and Cyborg pulled up the scanners. "We've got something coming at high speed toward Metropolis. Scanners are reading level 8 power levels."

"Adam," Superman snapped. He was already moving with Shazam right behind him. In a blur, both were gone as Batman shook his head. "We need to get…"

Another alert blared as Cyborg checked the holographic map. "Another hit in Norway, energy readout is like Amora."

Thor clutched his hammer. "That one is going to be ours."

"Dividing us up is not a smart move," Green Lantern argued.

"No, but it can help us," Batman mused. "We can handle another plan, one that can deal with this threat fast."

"Which is?"

"I'll let you know when it's finished."

Jane frowned. "I don't want to jump into things without preparation."

"But it is necessary," Thor stated. "Once more, Amora is our responsibility."

"And my home will be mine," Diana declared.

"Not alone," Aquaman stated. He smiled softly. "I've got someone who can help there fast."

* * *

It took just moments for Superman and Shazam to reach Metropolis. Already, the people were running off from the black-garbed figure floating in mid-air. Adam turned his head to observe them, cocking an eyebrow. "So...the new champion." He looked over Shazam and snorted. "I can see past your cloak, child. Really? You are the best the Wizard could choose?"

Shazam set his jaw. "At least I'm not taking over a country."

"I am reclaiming my homeland," Adam snapped. He looked to Superman. "I was told you are something of a champion to this world as well. Which makes you a threat."

Superman crossed his arms. "I don't want to fight you...But I will if I have to."

"Guess what? You have to." With that, Adam flew ahead to smash his fists into Superman's chest. He was flung back as Shazam flew back in to attack Adam, who caught the blows easily. Soon, the air around Metropolis was filled with the sounds of fists striking like thunder.

* * *

As soon as the light of the teleportation faded, Thor, Jane, Sif and Valkyrie were ready. They saw Amora standing before them with Balder at her side. Her face had that damnable smirk as she looked them over. She stood in the middle of the field overlooking the ocean, the skies seeming to darken around them. "A lovely spot, wouldn't you agree? This world may not connect to Asgard but it shares some of the history we know."

Thor's grasp on his axe tightened. "I am swiftly losing my patience with you, Amora."

"Not that you ever had any," she snorted. "At least Loki could listen."

"Just why are you here?" Sif demanded.

"Ah, Sif. So sorry to hear about the Warriors Three, a rather sad ending to such a noble trio." Sif's face set in anger.

Amora cocked her head as a rumble came over the ground. "Ah. There we are." Without warning, the rocks before her erupted outward to showcase a massive pack of figures. They appeared to be garbed in old-styled armor and helmets, many still clutching swords and axes. They all were skeletal figures with almost no skin left to them who gazed out with nearly empty eyes.

Amora grinned wide. "It appears this world has its own Viking dead. Which can be used as a fine army." She pointed as the forces moved in on the Asgardians, who steeled themselves for battle.

* * *

The lightning was flashing in the skies as the Amazon warriors rode to the beaches of the island. Regal in her armor, Queen Hippolyta reined in her horse as she gazed at the skies. "This is foul sorcery at work," she muttered to her aide.

At her side, a gorgeous red-haired warrior was tense. Her uniform was a bit different than the others with a layer of green leather. "The Oracles appeared to be right, my Queen."

"I fear so, Artemis," Hippolyta noted. She was about to speak more when a cloud of purple smoke materialized before her. It faded to show Circe, a wicked smirk on her face as she took in the Amazons. "Hippolyta. I see the tides of time have been kind…" She made a show of looking closer. "Oh, wait, I can see the tides of time have smacked you around quite a bit."

"Circe," Hippolyta hissed. Behind her, the Amazons were quick to raise up swords, spears and bows with arrows. "You dare intrude upon our lands?"

"Oh, I dare more than that, Queen," Circe said in a mocking tone. "Now, I can act like if you simply give up the Purple Ray, I will leave you in peace. But we both know that's not true." Her eyes narrowed. "You locked me away for millennia, you Amazon bitch. Now, it's time to pay the piper."

She threw her hands outward, the Amazons instinctively moving to attack. Blasts of lightning raked over the skies as the Amazons moved back. It looked as if the skies were tearing up as Circe changed in a language long dead. From the tears came a pack of winged monsters who flew outward and seemed ready to charge down at the Amazons.

Circe grinned brightly at them. "Oh, you have no idea how I have waited for this, Hippolyta. To finally tear your beloved paradise down around you and get the power I deserve." She smirked. "Where are your Gods and Goddesses now?"

A blast of cannon fire ripped out to strike her from behind. Circe let out a loud gasp as she was sent sailing back and into a nearby rocky pile. She shook her head as she looked up to see a large submarine of a strange design rise up from the ocean. Exiting from a ramp at the front was a beautiful blonde-haired woman in a suit of white armor.

"Queen Hippolyta?" she called out. "Queen Atlanna, mother of King Orin. On behalf of Atlantis, we stand at your side."

"Well met, Atlanna," Hippolyta said with a smile. She looked up to see the wave of creatures racing toward the island and then threw a grin at her counterpart. "Come. Let us show them how queens make war."

* * *

**For the Catwoman casting, who else but Jennifer Garner. **

**And yes, Ibac, Sivina and Mind are up to something as well. Again, all comments welcomed and hopefully more soon. And feel free to update the TV Tropes page to boot. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Sins, Sirens & Strife**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Sorry about long delay but hoping to make up for it here. **

**And yes, fully aware how "Crisis on Infinite Earths" makes a few of the tie-in Earths different but a bit late in the game to fix it.**

* * *

The buzz at the Pentagon was larger than usual as retired General and former Secretary of Defense Calvin Swanwick marched down the hallways. He could see officers moving about along with aides, a few pausing to give him salutes before moving on. The impressive-looking black-skinned man would return them as he continued to march toward one of the main briefing rooms. An attractive, dark-haired female officer came up, saluting him. "General."

"Former general, Major Lane," Swanwick intoned in his deep voice. "I retired, remember? From that and my Secretary post."

"Old habits, sir," Major Lucy Lane stated as she fell in behind him. "As you can tell, the situation is pretty extreme." She led him into the main operations center that showed several monitors while people bustled around the desks of computers. One had Superman and Shazam attacking Black Adam in the heart of Metropolis. Another was a satellite view of some sort of conflict of costumed figures and what appeared to be living skeletons in Norway. The third showed a huge cloud somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. "The latter we cannot fathom, sir," Lane was telling him. "It's some sort of weather mess combined with forces we cannot detect."

Swanwick nodded as he took it all in. "Any word from the Justice League?"

"Something about them handling the situation but a few folks here are getting antsy. Such as my father." Lucy scowled, clearly still having issues with her dad.

"I talked to my successor and the President," Swanwick informed her. "They can let the League handle this for now but maybe some forces in reserve are smart." A buzzing came from his belt as he moved back. "Excuse me." He drew out his cell phone to answer it. "Yes?"

"_We need your help."_

At the raspy voice, Swanwick brought himself up straight. "How did you get this number?"

"_I have every number_," the voice continued. "_Like I said, we need you_."

"I resigned from my position…."

"_I don't time to waste on the banter, _Calvin," the voice said, emphasizing the last name. "_We need you here now. Not you, the real you. _

Swanwick stiffened at that. "This...may be too public a line to discuss this..."

"_We're secure_," the voice stated as a fact. "_Just hurry up. From what I can tell, the problem in Norway fits you. That person with Amora is under mental control and that you can help with_."

Swanwick let out a slow sigh. "I do this…and it changes everything."

"_I know it does_," the voice replied with a small touch of sympathy. "_But you knew this was coming. Oh and lose the tie."_

Swanwick started as he looked around. "Did you…break in here?'

"_Watching on my bugs_."

"You bugged the Pentagon?"

"_It's just a building. A few more doors, a few more locks. I'll contact you en route_." The line went dead as Swanawick slowly hung up. The expression on his face was that of a man who was faced with a decision that he knew would change his entire life. He took a deep breath before heading out. Lucy was turning and frowning to find him gone but shrugged to focus once more on the events occurring around the world.

* * *

Paradise Island was currently a misnomer.

The clash of swords echoed as the Amazons faced off against the winged demons attacking. Several fired arrows at the flying figures while others were busy on the ground. Artemis leaped off her horse to tackle a creature, wrapping her legs around it. She already had her bow in hand to fire off a trio of arrows that each downed another demon. Artemis stabbed the arrow into the demon's head to send it crashing to the earth, leaping off as she did.

Atlanna was spinning around, her trident flashing as she easily cut down a pair of the winged demons. Beside her on the deck of the sub, the Atlantean soldiers were unleashing blasts from their rifles to strike at other demons. The subs themselves were unleashing blasts of cannon fire to knock back further creatures as the battle raged on.

It was into this chaos that Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Lantern and Mera entered the fray. Mera was already summoning water to blast at some demons while Aquaman tossed his own trident out to stab another down. He looked over to his mother and smiled. "Not quite the overdue bonding I had in mind."

Diana flew outward to kick a demon back. Nearby, Hippolyta was spinning about, easily cutting down a trio of demons with a single slash of her blade. She looked at her daughter and smiled. "Daughter."

"Mother," Diana replied. "I regret this is not the homecoming I had wanted."

Hippolyta slashed another demon back. "We can always do with some sport here." Above her, Green Lantern was using his ring to form a battering ram to send several demons flying back.

Circe was floating overhead, looking amused at the conflict below her. "I'd forgotten just how damnably stubborn your Amazon bitches are. I'd almost regret wiping you out if it wasn't for the fact I despise you all so much."

Diana glared at her. "When I get my hands on you…"

"Oh, why wait?" Circe charged downward to tackle Diana. She gasped at the blast of magic Circe fired at her but did her best to defend herself. She growled as she tried to fight back with Circe continuing to attack with her slashing at Diana with her nails, which were as sharp as claws. "I heard you came from clay," Circe intoned. "Let's see if you can still bleed."

Diana grimaced as she fought back. Hippolyta wanted to reach her but was busy battling back to back with Atlanna against the creatures that showed no signs of stopping.

* * *

With the chaos of the battle on the beaches, the main temples of Themyscira were empty. Every Amazon had grabbed a weapon to join in the battle and so no one was around to see Sivana and Ibac enter one of the larger chambers. It was filled with various artifacts from weapons to some unique artwork but their attention was focused on a large device that looked to have a set of purple gems attached to a series of lenses, all mounted in an apparatus that appeared to be a cross between a rifle and a medical examination device. "The Purple Ray, I assume," Sivana stated.

"_Indeed, Doctor_," Mister Mind replied from the small case Ibac held. _"However, I believe what we require is elsewhere in this chamber."_

Ibac smirked. "Ah, so this is where we pull the double-cross? If so, I'm in. I ain't trusting those witches to keep their word on things."

"Technically, they never gave any word to keep," Sivana noted. "They were always merely a means to an end for us, Ibac. Honestly, whatever plans Amora had for us all were pitiful compared to what Mind and I are after."

Mind himself was looking about the chamber before nodding as he focused on what appeared to be a large golden egg covered in ridges. "_That's it._" Ibac moved ahead to pluck the egg from its place on the pedestal. He winced at the heat coming off it but it didn't bother him as it would a normal human. "What, we cooking an omelet?"

"Something like that," Sivana stated. "It'll take a few minutes but…"

A sound cut through the air as a Batarang wrapped around the egg. The cable yanked it out of Ibac's hands and into Batman's own as he leaped down from the upper levels of the domed chamber. Both feet slammed into Ibac to drive him back. Batman was moving to knock Sivana back, the scientist gasping as he was knocked into a wall. Mind was moving inside his jar when Catwoman arrived to pluck it in her hands. Giggling, Selina shook the jar hard, causing Mind to yelp as he was sent bouncing back and forth on the glass surface.

Batman moved into a fighting stance as Ibac charged at him and prepared for a fight. He dodged the first blow but was surprised how faster Ibac was with the follow-up. Batman grunted as he felt the pain of the punch driving him back. Ibac was pulling his fist back to strike again when he felt Catwoman's whip wrap around it. She pulled but her strength wasn't enough to stop him. With a snarl, Ibac yanked his arm out to send Selina flying through the air. She managed to plant her feet against the wall as she hit it and bounce back to roll with the attack.

Batman was moving to nail Ibac with a pair of punches, wincing at the impact of the blows on what felt like solid rock. Ibac just laughed as he grabbed at Batman's cape to pull him back. He reached forward to wrap his hand around Batman's throat and hoist him in the air. The Dark Knight gasped as he punched futilely at Ibac's solid arm.

"You think you can beat me?" Ibac snarled as he lifted Batman up in the air. "You think you can top someone with my power? You know who I am, pal? I'm _Ibac_ and-"

A blast of smoke erupted around him. It faded to show the mortal form of Stanley Printwhistle who could no longer hold the much larger Batman in one hand. He blinked, looking down at himself in confusion. He looked up to see Batman slowly moving toward him. "Oh, shi-" was all he got out before a gloved fist punched him in the jaw and knocked him out cold.

Catwoman looked to Batman. "Did you know that would happen?'

"Took a shot it worked like Thunder's powers," Batman grunted. He was moving to bind Printwhistle's hands, then placed a gag tightly under his mouth. "You carry a gag in your belt?" Catwoman smirked. "Now that would make a great date night."

Batman just ignored her as they moved to grab the limp forms of Printwhistle and Sivana while Catwoman plucked up the jar with Mind, not resisting giving the worm another hard shake and enjoying the squeals from within.

* * *

Jane hurled her hammer outward, watching as it smashed through several of the skeletal warriors before returning to her. Sif was slashing through several others while Thor found Stormbreaker clashing with Balder's sword. Amora was watching from a platform, smiling as she watched the conflict before her. "So amusing, Thor. To watch you and Balder battle, it's a delight."

Thor punched Balder in the face before grabbing him by his tunic. He pulled him back to toss him several feet away before whirling on Amora. "What is this, Amora?" he demanded. "What is your game?"

"Power, Thor," Amora said. "What it has always been. Right now, Circe and the rest of those fools are doing battle on that Amazon island. Black Adam is tangling with that hero who somehow escaped my thrall. They think I intend to use the Purple Ray merely to rule one part of this globe. Why do that…when I can rule so much more? Mix the Ray with my own abilities and I can create an energy across this entire planet that will make all worship me as their Queen." She shrugged. "It was to be used upon Asgard but I suppose this Earth shall do, to become its undisputed and beloved ruler."

She let out a sharp laugh of victory before seeing Thor just stare at her with what amounted to pure and utter amusement. "That…is your plan? To…make a world fall in love with you?" Thor let out a long laugh. "Unbelievable…all these centuries and you're even more pathetic than you always were."

Amora smirked. "When I get my throne, Thor..."

"There is no throne, Amora!" Thor snapped. "Not for you!"

"I will be a Queen! You think I have plotted and schemed all this time for nothing?"

"Plotted?" Thor openly laughed out loud. "Amora, you couldn't plot or scheme your way out through a child's board game! You always thought you were so much smarter than you truly were, that you were working your evil plots and wiling away while manipulating us all." He grinned. "Do you know what we were doing whenever you tried? We were laughing at you, Amora. All of us. Loki, most of all. He never looked more amused than when telling us of your weak attempts at games."

Thor cocked his head. "What was it he said once? 'She thinks she's pulling the wool over our eyes but it's like she's standing naked in front of clear glass.' He couldn't believe you truly thought you were hiding your intentions when you might as well have been holding a sign around your neck saying 'I am a power-hungry bitch.'" Thor chuckled. "You were never a power player, Amora, just a pretender and not even a good one."

Sif had been listening herself and was just as bemused as Thor. "I ran into your sister, Lorelei, not long ago, Amora. At least she's up front on how petty and selfish she is and never cloaked herself in some delusion of grandeur. I can't believe she was actually the humble one in the family."

"This world will worship me!"

"My father was many things, Amora, not all of them good. But even he knew forcing people into worship was the wrong thing to do. It does not make us gods, it just makes us weaker." He shook his head. "Honestly, Hela would have made a better ruler than you."

Amora scowled deeply before curling her lips upward. "So that's what you all thought, Thor? I was a fool? I was short-sighted?" Her grin widened. "Then imagine how it was this...fool...who figured out what no one else on Asgard could know. The truth of your birthright."

Thor frowned deeply. "What are you saying?"

Amora laughed. "Your father…oh, your great, grand Odin, the All-Father, was not the saint you thought he was, Thor."

"Thor scowled. "If you're telling me my father lied about who he was, I already know that."

"But not the depths of it," Amora smiled. "Not how far he'd go to protect his precious line. Oh, yes, Thor, you already know of your sister….but not how she wasn't the only sibling hidden. How he and dear, sweet Frigga thought it best to hide the lineage of another, just in case something happened to either fair-haired prince and a secret successor was needed."

She grinned brightly as she waved to Balder. "You two always went on talking about being closer than brothers. How little you knew….There was nothing 'close' about it. Meet the true second-born Prince of Asgard."

Thor looked down at Balder in wonder as if seeing him for the first time. By this point, Sif and Jane had managed to crush the rest of the skeletal warriors as they joined with him. "So, Thor," Amora gloated in a mocking tone. "The only way to free him from my power is to kill him. Your own kin. There's no other way."

"No. There is."

At the deep voice, everyone turned to see a tall and strong black man in a suit striding across the field. Swanwick's face was calm as he strode forward, not seeming to care at the skeletal remains he was marching over. Balder was rising up to charge at him with his sword raised. Before Thor could do anything, Swanawick seemed to move in a blur to avoid the attack. He grabbed Balder's head, his palms at the man's temples. Swanwick's eyes narrowed with a dark glow inside them. Balder let out a yell of agony as he shook in Swanawick's grasp.

Amora was waving a hand to create a ball of energy only for Mjolnir to fly out and smash into her face. She gasped in agony as she fell back as the hammer landed on her chest. Amora gasped for breath as she tried in vain to push the enchanted mallet off of her. Jane was moving to glare down at her. "Before you even try it, you're not my type," she barked.

"You…mortal…bitch…" Amora gasped.

Jane looked to Sif and shook her head. "You were right. All that power and she's not much different than some of the cheerleaders from my high school."

Balder was on his knees as Swanawick kept up his mental barrage, his eyes glowing more. Thor wanted to step in but felt that keeping back was the safer course of action. With a final cry, Balder fell forward onto his hands and knees as he heaved for breath. He slowly looked up at Thor with his eyes now much clearer. "Thor?" he whispered. "I…what have I…."

Thor was moving quickly to help him up as Balder continued to shake in place. "It's all right, Balder." He moved to embrace the other man. "You're back." He had to fight back the tears wanting to well in his eyes.

Amora was craning her head to stare in disbelief at Swanwick. "You…broke…my hold on him…."

"Magic or science, a mind is a mind," Swanwick stated. "And I have a…talent for undoing such holds."

"What…are you?"

Swanwick's eyes took on a reddish glow as his voice deepened. "I am a man who watched my world die and won't let it happen to another." His form began to shift, becoming more muscular as his clothing transformed into a long blue cape over a mostly solid blue uniform with red bands crossing over his chest. "I am the Last Son of Mars. The Manhunter for justice." His skin was now a solid green with a hairless dome as he brought himself up fully. "I…_am __**J'onn J'onzz**_."

Sif raised an eyebrow. "The Martians in this universe look different."

Jane stared at her. "You two really need to start writing down all the things you know that Earth doesn't."

Balder slowly craned his head to stare at the fallen Amora. He moved forward, his sword held tight in his hands. His face was twisted in rage as he marched toward the woman who was vainly trying to get away. "So many centuries as your puppet," he snarled. "Doing your bidding. Killing for you, ruining others for you and used…in so many ways…" He stood over her and Amora felt a chill wash over her body as she looked at the lack of pity in Balder's eyes. "Cutting off your head would be doing the universe a favor."

Amora swallowed. "Thor…please, you're not….you're not really going to let him…"

Thor cocked his head. "You tried to murder my mother once, Amora. What do you think?"

She took in the hard eyes of Thor, the blazing fire in Balder's gaze and the utterly unsympathetic smirks on the faces of Jane and Sif. Swallowing, Amora placed her hands flat upon the ground. They glowed brightly with energy before erupting in blasts of power. The cliffside under Amora exploded to send her plummeting down toward the sea. She had gathered her hands together, chanting under her breath as she sailed down the ground. Before she hit the water, a glowing portal opened and Amora dived into it.

Mjolnir's fall was halted as it flew upward to land in Jane's hand. Balder looked at it in confusion, then to Thor. "What…How can she…"

"A rather long story," Thor intoned.

"I get the feeling I'm going to be hearing that phrase quite a bit..."

Jane shook her head. "That was it? I mean…this entire thing was all to make a planet fall in love with her? I have to admit, I'm really disappointed, I was expecting something a bit more…grandiose."

"That's Amora," Sif replied. "She loved to talk a big game but in the end, it was always so petty."

Jane looked to Balder. "Were you really going to kill her?"

Balder paused. "Perhaps…At the least, I would have cut her hair off. See if she looked so attractive then."

"It's likely she's going after the Ray herself," Thor said. "Right now, we have to aid the others." He looked to J'onn. "Thor of Asgard."

"Call me the Martian Manhunter," the green-skinned man replied. "And I agree, we must stop Circe now." Jane helped them gather together before slamming her hammer to the ground and in a blast of light, they had vanished.

* * *

It wasn't the first time Metropolis had undergone a huge battle but it was no less easier. Black Adam was flying forward to smash Superman against a nearby column before backhanding Shazam away. The younger man took the blow before moving to try and punch Adam in the jaw. A red blur was seen as the Flash was moving to try and remove any onlookers in the path of the fight. He then charged at Adam only to be met by a hard blow to the ribs that made him gasp in pain.

Shazam moved to catch him which led to him taking a nasty punch from Black Adam that sent him sailing backward to smash into a nearby storefront. It caused rubble from above to sail down with Flash just managing to get a pair of kids out of the way before they were crushed. The Flash barely ducked some of the debris as he raced to Shazam's side. "No offense, Thunder-Kid," he said. "But I think we need some help here."

"You're right," Shazam said, gazing at Adam and the power he had. He looked to the Flash. "How quick can you get to Philadelphia?"

Superman gasped out as he felt the punches explode against his jaw. He hadn' t been hit this hard since Zod and even then, it didn't seem as painful. He realized the magic of Adam was adding more power to the blows to make them even more painful. He tried to clear his head, firing off a burst of heat vision. Adam grunted but kept coming at him, once more smashing Superman back.

Shazam was tackling him, wrapping his arms around Adam to try and pull him away. "I didn' t know the Wizard too long," he snapped. "But I'm pretty sure that he'd be disgusted at what kind of person you turned out to be."

"He was a fool," Adam snapped. "A weakling who wasted his power. And who dared judge me for using mine to save my people." He punched Shazam back. "I will save them still!"

"Your people have been dead for nearly four thousand years!" Superman stated as he punched Adam in the back. The immortal rolled with it to blast Superman with another blow. "Your time is passed, Adam!"

"Then I will begin a new one!" he stated. "I am the hero my nation needs! Not one your supposed champions!" He smashed his elbow to drive Superman back and prepared to punch Shazam again when something struck him.

Turning, Adam saw a quintet of children standing before him. The oldest was a girl of about 18 with dark brown hair framing her attractive face. Next to her was a younger teenage boy, leaning on a cane. A young Asian boy with glasses was still holding up a makeshift slingshot he had used to toss a rock at Adam. Next to him was an older boy who was, to put it fairly, very heavyset. The final member was a cute young black-skinned girl with a nice smile.

"Hey!" the boy with the cane said. "Get away from our brother!"

"Who are you?" Superman asked.

"Oh, Freddy Freeman and this is…."

"It does not matter what your names are!" Adam cut him off. "Leave now."

Mary Bromfield brought herself up. "We're not leaving."

There was a blur around as the Flash was whipping around, kicking up a massive cloud of dust. It grew larger and thicker to cut the group off from sight, including any cameras trying to focus on the action. Adam looked at the cloud and sniffed. "Is this supposed to distract me?"

"Nope," Eugene Choi said with a smirk.

Pedro Pena also smiled. "It's just to keep others from peeking in." Next to him, Darla Dudley eagerly nodded.

"Sorry but Billy's our brother," Mary announced. "And we don't leave family behind."

Adam glared. "I do not kill children but you are testing my patience…."

"Just let him go."

Adam snorted. "Really? You think you can threaten me?"

Freddy smirked. "Yeah…I think we can." He looked to Mary, who smiled back as the others all joined. They looked to Adam and all spoke at the same time.

"_**SHAZAM**_!"

The blast of lightning was greater than ever before, driving Adam back with his hands raised to block the glare of light. He lowered them to stare in utter disbelief at the sight before him. Instead of children, he was faced with five grown young adults, all clad in outfits much like Billy's. Pedro's was green as his fat was now replaced by muscle and his face with a beard. Eugene's was gray with his features handsome. Freddy's suit was blue and his stance showed he no longer felt any pain from his leg. Mary's outfit matched Billy's except for a skirt to show off her shapely legs and her features more beautiful. Darla's costume was sleeveless and purple as he now appeared to be in her early 20s.

Adam's jaw dropped as he stared in absolute shock. "This…is impossible!"

"Yeah, we get that a lot," Shazam stated as he joined his siblings. He smirked at Adam. "So, let me introduce you to this great thing that's been invented in the last few millennia. It's called a dogpile."

Adam barely had time to move before the group was on top of him.

The Flash stared at the multi-colored costumes colliding before looking to Superman. "If we start recruiting the grade school kids, I'm quitting."

* * *

As the light of the teleportation faded, Thor was already slashing a demon down with Stormbreaker. Balder had his sword out to cut another demon down. Aquaman blinked as he saw them. "Wait, he's on our side now?" He then did a double-take at the Manhunter. "And who the hell is that?!"

"J'onn J'onzz," the man answered as he floated into the air. A pair of red beams burst from his eyes to burn a demon down. Green Lantern seemed surprised but went with it as the two were soon flying in patterns to cut other demons down with bursts of red and green.

Valkyrie took in the stunningly beautiful women fighting in armor and grinned. "Now this is my kind of place!" Atlanna struck another demon down as Hippolyta continued to slice another, moving like a woman centuries younger.

More were coming outward from the portal in the sky as Circe floated above them. "You might want to know," Jane called out. "Your partner bailed on you."

"Amora?" Circe sniffed. "I had thought as much. Honestly, she thought I wouldn't have figure out her plans for the Purple Ray? All those millennia free and that was the best idea she had?" Circe shook her head. "When I use it, it won't be for worship. It will be for razing half of this pathetic planet to rubble and building my new rule upon what's left."

"Keep dreaming," Batman grunted as he showed up, dragging Printwhistle and Sivana behind him. "We have your followers. Amora is gone, there's nothing left to fight for."

"Nothing but revenge," Circe smirked. She unleashed more waves of energy that everyone had to dodge. Artemis was in the way of one blast when Valkyrie tackled her out of the way. Artemis nodded in appreciation. "Thank you." She saw the way Valkyrie was straddling over her and coughed. "While I am flattered, we have other issues."

"Fine. Later on." Valkyrie grinned as she moved up to get back into the fight. Circe was about to target Diana when she looked off as if listening to something. "That conniving…" she hissed before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Atlanna frowned from her place on a sub. "Where did she go?"

Wonder Woman's gaze headed up to the main temple above. "I think I know."

* * *

Circe appeared in her smoke to see Amora about to lift the Purple Ray from its place within the temple. "All this…for a pathetic attempt at power…" She shook her head. "I knew your scheme would be terrible, Amora. I just never dreamed it would be so petty." She paced around the chamber. "What have you been wasting your time on all these centuries? Just bouncing around realities, having the occasional fun, set yourself up as some priestess, then just move on when you get bored? All that power and potential yet nothing better than that came to your mind. That Ray can ravage a planet and your reasons for it as so selfish. It all came to this?"

"I was born to be a queen."

Circe managed to make her snort a thing of beauty. "You were born a lowly pawn and think you invented the game of chess. That you don't even realize that makes you even sadder. Naming you a goddess is an insult."

Amora glared at her. "You want this island, go ahead, Circe. I have what I need."

"Oh and I suppose I'm going to just sit back and let you rule this world?" Circe shook her head as her hands glowed with power. "I think it's time we finally settled this, Amora."

The Asgardian pushed the Ray aside as her own hands gleamed with power. "I so agree." The two charged at one another with howls of rage.

The group of heroes was just coming to the temple when Circe and Amora smashed through its roof. The two flew around in the air, clawing and scratching at one another with vicious attacks, their beauty overwhelmed by snarls. Neither of them cared for those below, they were too intent on tearing the other apart.

Jane shook her head. "Two almighty powerful sorceresses and they're going at it like high schoolers. I take back what I said earlier, they're even worse than some of the cheerleaders I knew."

"They're going to kill each other," Aquaman noted.

Hippolyta smirked. "Maybe we should speed it along."

Thor and Jane looked at each other and both smiled. They raised their weapons up as the skies above the island darkened. Lightning began to flash around as Diana spun her lasso. She took a leap upward as she threw the lasso out. It encircled one bolt, tightening as if to a cable to allow her to be pulled upward. Diana released it to encircle another bolt to bring herself closer to Circe. The dark-haired witch was turning her head as Diana spun around, managing to encircle the lasso around both her and Amora.

Both women gasped in pain as they felt the lasso, charged with the power of the lightning bolt wrap around them. Thor and Thunderstrike both summoned more bolts to strike the lasso as Diana pulled on it hard. She felt it burn at her hands but still held on to tighten it around the two women.

On the beach, the Amazons and Atlanteans were still battling the demons with one falling form shattering the jar holding Mind. The worm moved to inch himself over toward Sivana as the battle raged on with the prone Pinrtwhisle lying between them. "_Hang tight, Doctor,_" he intoned. "_I believe our opportunity is still coming..."_

Diana landed on the ground, tightening the lasso around the pair of sorceresses. She handed one end to Thor, who wrapped it on the handle of Stormbreaker. He planted it onto the ground, dragging the two struggling women downward. Jane lifted Mjolnir up to summon a huge blast of lightning. She let it charge up, the bolts crashing onto one another. She finally brought the hammer down onto the top of the ax, creating a massive blast of energy.

The lightning ripped through the lasso like an electrical wire and flowed over Amora and Circe. Both screamed in agony as the lightning closed in around them. Each instinctively reacted by building up their magical powers and both realized together that was very much the wrong thing to do. Between the magic of the lasso and the powerful lightning flowing into them, their magics were turned inward to rip at them both. Their screams echoed as a huge blast of light erupted that seemed to turn them both inside out and pulled into a tear in space.

On the beach, the breach in the air seemed to swiftly turn inward as the demons were abruptly pulled back and into the breach. The Amazons and Atlanteans were doing their best to stay upright as the demons were sucked away as if into a vacuum cleaner. Amid the chaos, Sivana had succeeded in grabbing onto the egg and whispering under his breath. Sensing something was happening, Printwhistle managed to grasp one of Sivana's legs despite his bound hands. The two men, with Mind attached to Sivana's shoulder, were carried off into the portal which soon shut behind them all. The Amazons and Atlanteans both seemed confused but nonetheless cheering together in victory.

Atlanna and Hippolyta exchanged satisfied looks. "Your daughter isn't too bad a warrior," the Atlantean said.

"Nor your son. For a man," the Amazon returned as they smirked with mutual pride and respect.

Thor and Thunderstrike took up their weapons as Diana returned her lasso to her side. "So...where'd they go?" Valkyrie asked for everyone.

"If we're lucky, they were ripped to shreds," Sif stated. She sighed deeply. "Sadly, we're never that lucky when it comes to Amora."

Batman looked to the Martian Manhunter. "Glad you got my call."

The green-skinned man raised an eyebrow. "I am curious about how you knew."

"We can talk about that later," Batman said. "We still have to see how Superman did in Metropolis. And Selina?" He called out without looking at her slowly backing up. "Don't even think about trying to steal anything here."

"Oh, now, really..."

Diana fixed her with a cool gaze. "The last person who attempted to steal from us was subjected to eight sleepless nights standing naked in a field."

"I wouldn't mind seeing that..."

"Be quiet, Valkyrie."

* * *

Black Adam gasped out as he felt a pair of punches smash into his sharp nose. Eugene was flying around him, Adam trying to grab him but the youth was too fast. Darla flew out to kick him in the face, followed by Mary kicking him in the back. "I get it, it may not be fair," Shazam allowed as he flew out to tackle Adam back. "But hey, you're not a nice guy."

The others of his family joined him, all pushing Adam down as they laid in on him with punches. Adam grunted under their blows, finding it hard to know who to hit first. As much as killing children didn't appeal to him, he had his pride. With a howl of rage, he threw his arms outward, sending several of them flying back. "Urchins!" he snapped. "I am Teth-Adam, rightful ruler of Kahnduq! I saw over all of Egypt once! You believe you can defeat me?"

"You're a really mean guy, you know that?" Darla asked as she kicked at him. "Also, I hate people who talk about themselves in the third person!"

Shazam punched Adam again as Superman was moving ahead as well. Pedro and Eugene each grabbed Adam by the arms as Freddy lashed a pair of punches into his face. "Okay, this guy has a very solid jaw," he moaned, clutching his aching fingers. He looked over at Superman. "Wow, hi, not sure if you remember, you came to my lunch table that one time..."

"I remember," Superman assured him. "Although you did seem...different."

"Ah, growth spurts, you know how it is."

"You are ants to me!" Black Adam snapped as he tried to punch at Darla only for her to speed away from the blow with Pedro grabbing Adam's arm, pulling him off balance and leaving him open to a shot from Eugene.

"Ants bite in big numbers," Mary pointed out as she kicked at his face.

Shazam was looking over Adam, seeing him reeling. "Guys? Think Thunder Time is called for here!"

The others nodded as they flew outward. Each one followed the other in perfect formation, with Freddy in the lead. He flew out to punch Adam in the face with Eugene following, then Pedro, Mary and Darla. Each blow rattled Adam as the foster siblings moved close together. "_Shazam_!" they yelled in unison and the combined lightning smashed down upon them. It also struck Adam, leaving him groggier than ever. Before he could recover, the word was uttered again to transform the children and once more leave Adam rattled hard.

Superman had been holding back from the lightning but was moving forward to face Adam. "I think it's best if you just surrender now. I just got word from our teammates. Your little pack of friends have all vanished to who knows where. It's just you now."

Adam was kneeling on the ground, heaving for breath. He looked up, his face grim, his uniform showing burns and tears. But his face was resolute and the defiant look in his eyes showed he was not going to give up. "I...need no...allies...I...will never...surrender."

Superman shrugged. "That's fine by..."

"_Superman_!" The voice of Alfred Pennyworth cut in through the Man of Steel's earpiece. "_We just received a call from the Pentagon and another from the State Department."_

"Tell them we're almost finished..."

"_Ah, hate to interrupt, Big Blue_," Darcy's voice broke in. "_But you are finished. Just not in the way you think."_

Superman was already frowning but the dark smile coming to Adam's eyes made him uneasy. Next to him, Shazam was also concerned. "Wait, what's going on?"

"You think I held my rule...just by power?" Adam's grin grew as he slowly stood up. "This world may have changed, young one...but politics...will always be politics..." He let out the laugh of a man who, while beaten, was most assuredly unbowed.

* * *

"They're letting him stay in power?!"

The Flash's words echoed the stunned reactions of the rest of the Justice League as they all stared at the Martian Manhunter in the Justice League meeting room. The man had once more transformed into the form of Swanwick and sighed as he spoke. "It seems that in between his executing Asim and arriving in Metropolis, Adam somehow found time to organize elections in Kahnduq."

"Amora and Circe no doubt aided," Diana mused.

J'onn nodded. "Perhaps. But they also arranged for some United Nations officials who just happened to be in the area to oversee it. It's all clear cut and legal, Adam was overwhelmingly elected."

"Taking out the guy who'd been oppressing them for years made a hell of a campaign platform," Aquaman inserted.

"The point is," J'onn said. "Right now, the U.N. recognizes Teth-Adam as the duly appointed ruler of his nation."

"The guy invaded Metropolis!" Shazam blurted out. "He nearly beat me and Supes to death!" His siblings were nodding with him.

"Actions made before his rise to power are still covered by the diplomatic immunity agreement his ambassador created," J'onn clarified. "Things are tense enough in that region, the White House and the Pentagon agree that trying to take on someone of his power is not in their best interests."

"Unbelievable," Jane muttered.

"Note to self," Mary announced. "Enroll in political sciences classes in college. Someone needs to bring some reason there."

"Screw reason!" Freddy exclaimed. "Let's just go there, kick his ass and drag him out!"

"And in doing so, you'll be seen as a United States powerhouse attacking another nation," J'onn stated.

Green Lantern was reluctantly nodding. "I hate it too but he's right. The last thing we need to be seen doing is toppling other nations to get the world turned on us."

"I still say..."

"We're not doing it," Batman said.

"Oh, and you're going to stop me?"

Batman just gave him a very long cold stare as Freddy slowly backed up. "Wow, you are incredibly terrifying way up close, the news doesn't do you justice."

Thor sighed. "As much as I hate to say it, it does appear that Adam has…some honor and reason within him."

"Easy for you to say, you didn't get beat by him," Shazam muttered.

"The point is, given what the last rulers of that land have been like, he can't be that much worse." Thor shrugged. "But that's for you all to figure out. Frankly, we've had enough messes in politics in our universe to handle another's problems."

"Which seems to include having a _freaking Martian_ as part of the government," Darcy had to throw in.

The formerly green-skinned man saw them all looking at them and sighed. "I am the last survivor of my people. The rest were wiped out in a plague caused by our White Martian enemies just before they succumbed to it." J'onn looked to Superman. "You knew all along."

Superman smiled softly. "I can guess it must be hard maintaining that form constantly and so it's easier to slack off when you're not by a scanner. But I tend to notice when someone's heartbeat is coming from the wrong side of their chest so did a quick scan with my X-ray vision when we first met."

"X-Ray vision?" Darcy's eyes widened. "Dude, you can see through my clothes this entire time?" She instinctively covered her chest as best she could as Jane rolled her eyes.

"Now, wait," the Flash began. "I mean…was there ever a real Swanwick?"

"There was not," J'onn confirmed. "I was brought to Earth by accident by a scientist's teleportation ray. The backlash caused an explosion as he died in my arms. I hid for years, using my abilities to craft an identity and joined the army in attempts to find a new life and understand humanity better."

Green Lantern raised an eyebrow. "You can change your shape and look like anyone you want…and you chose to live as a black man? You really are from Mars."

"The scientist had been black," J'onn explained with a small smile. "I will not deny it was difficult at times and showed me how terrible some humans could be. But I also saw the goodness in this race and how they deserved a chance to rise up more. I came to truly enjoy them to the point that I would sometimes forget what I truly was." He looked to Kal. "Your arrival changed a lot of things and I knew I had to be at the forefront to do more."

"What now?" Superman asked. "I can imagine your bosses would not be happy about finding out what you are."

J'onn nodded. "It may be difficult but I hope my past service can balance out any issues they have over my deception. In a way, I knew it was inevitable which was why I resigned by Secretary post. Of course, I can imagine certain news services might be a tad upset…"

"We can help there," Wonder Woman offered. "We're used to smoothing things over with upset governments."

"The fact you helped us today proves what kind of person you are," Superman added.

"And dude, trust me, anyone gives you grief, we've got your back," Shazam threw in.

"Again, thank you," J'onn stated. He looked to Batman. "I am curious as to how you knew."

Batman shrugged. "It's my business to know."

J'onn cocked his head. "You weren't concerned?"

Batman just looked at him. "To face Clark, I had to break into a LexCorp facility to steal a rare piece of rock which I then spent a few million dollars specially crafting into a variety of weapons. To beat you, I would only need to spend fifty cents for a book of matches."

Darcy was just staring at him. "There is something very deeply wrong with you, you realize that?" Batman's cold gaze did little to quell her attraction to him.

Shazam extended a hand to Thor. "Listen, I know you have to get going but can I ask you for a few tips on the lightning? I'm still getting used to using mine."

"Ah, now that is a good idea!" Thor stated. "Sif, we can train these children!"

The good mood of the family ended when they saw the wicked smile on Sif's face with Jane giving them a sympathetic look from behind the Asgardian. "That is the scariest woman I've ever been hot for," Freddy whispered to Billy.

"Dude, we're hanging out with gods now!" Pedro whispered to Eugene, who nodded in excitement.

Thor smiled at the others as he extended a hand to Diana. "I suppose it's ironic. You called us for aid and instead, you helped us more than I could have asked."

"It was an honor," Diana replied, shaking his hand, then Jane's. Valkyrie was smirking at her. "Tell Artemis I'm always eager to pick up on that drink."

"I'm sure she'll be thrilled."

Balder moved to shake J'onn's hand. "Thank you. I mean it. I haven't been myself in so long..."

"What happened was her, not you," J'onn stated. "Do not blame yourself. I know about carrying on too much guilt."

"Still, if ever you need aid, just call and I shall be there," Balder stated.

"As will I," Thor added. "I owe you that much."

Darcy shook her own head. "I still wanted to come to that island of Amazons..."

"It wasn't as fun as it sounds," Jane stated.

"Amazons! It's like I binged on _Xena_ for absolutely nothing!"

"I am a bit disappointed they didn't live up to the facts about them," Valkyrie said.

Jane stared at her. "You...get that's not a historical documentary, right?"

Valkyrie gave a cool look to Darcy who offered a sheepish smile in return.

* * *

Alfred watched Selina pack her bag in the guest room of Wayne Manor. She has switched to civilian attire which still fit her body nicely in its black coloring. "It would be nicer for you to stay. A little levity in this place does wonders."

"You know me, Alfred, I can't be held down."

"A shame. Master Bruce is…better with you around." He watched her pack and sighed. "You know he can't keep it up much longer. It's a miracle he's lasted this long."

"What, he's going to quit? Train someone to take over so he retires?" Selina shook her head. "He's like me, Alfred. He can't give up what he does." She finished packing to sling the bag over her shoulder. "Like it or not, me and him? The Cat and the Bat? We're birds of a feather in that retiring just isn't in us."

"A pity," Alfred stated. "It would be good to see him smile more." He looked down. "I don't want to bury him, Selina. I've buried enough Waynes as it is."

Selina gave him a small smile. "Something tells me Bruce has plenty of years left in him. So do I. I've got a few more lives left to play with." She leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Take care, Alfred."

"Indeed." Alfred extended a hand and Selina shook it. Alfred just stared at her as he kept the hand extended. With a tired sigh, Selina reached into her bag to remove a set of diamonds to put into his hand. Alfred nodded as Selina brushed by him.

* * *

Black Adam gazed out at the city before him. It was quiet although there were still signs of the celebrations of his new rule. The people seemed happier than they had in a long time and a new energy filled the nation. His arms were crossed as he took it all in. He knew that there was a lot of work to do. The economy of the nation was still a mess and required a lot of work to handle. He also had to ensure this nation wasn't seen as weak as it had once been. It would require hard work and patience but Adam had plenty of both.

There was a whoosh of air and Adam turned his head. Floating before him was the Shazam Family with Billy in the lead. Adam was mildly curious as to why a few of them had bruises and black eyes but brushed it off. He was amused by the youth's attempts to look more imposing, mimicking Adam's own stance with arms crossed. Adam merely smiled at him. "You realize you are in violation of our airspace."

"We won't be staying long," Billy replied. "We just want to let you know we have our eye on you, Adam. Not just us or the Justice League but also other world leaders. You step out of line and it won't be just you that suffers." He nodded to the city below. "It's them too."

Adam glanced at the city, then back to Billy. "Any who cross me or my people shall pay for it. Do not take me for the likes or Amrora or Circe. I do not wish conquest over this entire planet. Merely to bring my homeland to greatness once more."

Shazam kept his gaze on him. "A long time ago, the Wizard trusted you, Adam. He saw something in you worthy of granting the power. Now, granted I don't know you that well aside from the whole trying to beat my brains out thing but…Maybe…deep down…there's still part of that man inside you." He backed up. "It's the reason we're giving you a chance. You say you want to help your people? Prove it. Lead your people and don't become the guy you took out." His eyes narrowed. "Just know that if you step out of line…If we think you're becoming that kind of monster…We don't care what it takes, we will bring you down."

Adam chuckled. "The fire and foolishness of youth. Do not waste idle threats on me, child."

"And don't you forget how close we all came to beating you." Billy leaned in. "Like we said, giving you one shot. Don't waste it." He floated back as he and the others flew off into the air.

Adam watched him go, his smile fading. As much as he hated to admit it, the boy had great courage and his family shared his power and heart. To have him as an enemy would be…challenging. Adam shrugged it off as he turned back to the view of the city and began his plans for the future ahead.

* * *

**Earth-19999**

**Norway**

"New Asgard" was less a town than a small hamlet resting by a lovely lake in Norway. Once known as Toensberg, it had become the new home for the survivors of Asgard as well as some of the more unique aliens brought around. The rocky Korg was walking about and giving a wave to Thor as he stood on the patio of his home on the largest hill of the town where it could overlook it all. Balder was with him, staring out below. He was now wearing jeans and a dark shirt, his hair cut a bit shorter but appeared calm with the aura of a man who had been freed from a long prison.

Balder gazed at the small town. "So this is all that's left."

"It is," Thor stated.

Balder sighed. "It's not right that I live while so many are gone. The Warriors Three, Heimdall….your parents."

"Our parents," Thor intoned. He put a hand to Balder's shoulder. "We have a second chance, Balder. Something I never thought I would have. Perhaps it's fate, I lost one brother but gained another."

Balder chuckled. "I can't say I dislike how I never had any of your sibling conflict with Loki." He looked to Thor and sighed. "So much time lost…"

Thor rubbed his hand more. "Then we make up for it now."

"Actually, right now, we do have a slight issue with some trade agreements with Finland," Jane inserted, clad in civilian clothes as she stepped onto the porch with Sif behind her. "Plus, we have to make it back to New York for the next Avengers meeting."

Balder had to laugh at Thor's tired sigh. "It finally happened. You're becoming your father."

"Oh laugh it up, Balder..."

"I intend to." Balder glanced over to Sif. "I am glad to see you haven't changed too much. Watching six incredibly strong youths, each with powers of lightning, gasping for breath and begging you to give them a break brings back such lovely memories."

Sif grinned. "Ah, a dull workout."

"I still say could have gotten to the Amazons..." Valkyrie muttered.

"Be at ease," Thor stated. "There'll be time enough for fun later."

Balder laughed. "Now you really sound like Odin!"

"You should have seen him with just one eye," Valkyrie cracked.

"Oh, this I have to hear."

Sif hooked her arm into his. "Come on, tell it to you over a long drink. You'd be amazed how much better ale on this planet has gotten in the last few centuries." Balder smiled to join her. Valkyrie followed, always eager to join in for some drinking.

Jane looked at Thor and smiled. "I haven't seen you looking this happy in a long time."

"I always did miss him," Thor confessed. "To discover he's my brother is…amazing." He shook his head. "I never expected it."

"That's family for you," Jane said. "But don't think this gets you out of the meetings."

Thor rolled his eyes. "My father finally having his ultimate last laugh…" Nonetheless, he followed Jane to handle the duties of the throne.

* * *

**Earth-1937**

**Maine**

It was quiet on the evening road as the high heels clicked down the pavement of the street. The gorgeous blonde kept her pace up as she marched with a purpose that would surprise one who had just seen her recent defeat. She lifted the small purple shard in her hand to study it. It may not be as much as she wanted but it would do for now.

Amora brushed at her clothing as she continued her walk. As she marched on, her outfit shifted, transforming into a nice professional green suit not unlike modern-day dress. Her hair also shifted to a shorter cut that still showed her beauty off nicely. She knew this would be tricky, of course. To lose Balder was a shame but one had to make do. She had no idea what happened to Circe and frankly, she could care less. They had been separated in the turmoil of the dimension storm they'd been tossed into and Amora would be happy if that harpy was torn to pieces.

At least she'd landed somewhere she could sense had a great deal of magical power. She whistled softly to herself as she walked down the road to the small town in the distance. Somewhere in that hamlet was a power that could work quite well to her advantage. She smiled, her thoughts whirling on a new scheme as she passed the sign on the road.

_**Welcome to Storybrooke**_.

* * *

**Earth-1933**

**Somewhere in the South Pacific**

As soon as the portal closed behind them, Printwhistle was tearing off his gag. After taking a breath, he blurted "_Ibac_!" In a flash, he was back to his muscled form. "Gotta watch that…"

Sivana winced as he rose to his feet, rubbing at his back. "Agh…that was…not fun…." He paused to stare at where they landed. They appeared to be in an abandoned village in the middle of what seemed a large jungle. The humidity was thick yet not overbearing while an odd haze seemed to hang in the air. He brushed at his coat as he looked to where Mind was crawling onto a small table. "You're going to claim the egg led us here?"

"_It came from this Earth_," the worm explained. _"We merely needed to use it to return to its native reality. And that is no fanciful description, Doctor. It is an egg. One of many."_

Sivana's attention was caught by the large wall of crude paintings nearby. He stepped forward to examine them closely, taking note of the drawings upon it.

"Where the hell are we now?" Ibac demanded.

"_Not Hell, Ibac…But close to it in many ways_," Mind replied as the muscleman lifted up his jar. _"I said the Seven Realms will be ours. We just started with the wrong one. We need to build up a new army to take on those heroes. An army we can find here."_

Sivana was staring at the drawings before him. One showed what appeared to be a moth whose wingspan was larger than an airplane. Another was a bird-like creature with its own wings. Another still was a massive winged creature boasting three heads. At the center, amid various other creatures, two dominated as they faced off: A giant lizard with a long tail and spikes on his back that seemed to be breathing fire against what looked like a huge ape.

Sivana stared at the creatures as it sunk in these were no flights of fancy but rather eyewitness images. "Where are we?" he whispered.

Mister Mind had no mouth but it was clear he was smiling as best he could. "_Somewhere we can build our own society, Doctor….a society…of monsters."_

And somewhere in the distance, a loud and guttural roar shook the entire jungle.

* * *

**Yes, the Swanwick as Martian Manhunter idea was confirmed by Snyder himself so decided to use it. And I did have to throw in the bit of Diana lassoing the lightning as the Wonder Woman 1984 trailers looked awesome. Had considered bumping Adam off but thought this was better as he's such a compelling character to bring an intriguing wild card into the DCCU.**

**So obviously some set-up at the end and sure some fun guessing the meaning behind the numbering of those two particular Earths….**


End file.
